Strikers Desire Oparanozie and Ini-Abasi Umotong have been recalled to Nigeria’s Super Falcons side ahead of their training camp in Austria starting this weekend.
Former captain Oparanozie, 27, was axed from the team after the 2019 Women’s World Cup, while Umotong last played for the team before that World Cup tournament in France.
Both players have been included in a team of twenty-six players already on their way to a training camp in Austria ahead of the Aisha Buhari Invitational tournament to be hosted by Nigeria in September.
Team’s head coach Randy Waldrum has also extended invitation to some of the American-born stars that had their first caps for the team at the US Summer Series in the State of Texas.
Michelle Alozie, Nicole Payne and Swiss-born Onyinyechi Zogg retained their places in the selection.
More newbies were also called up by Waldrum and they include sisters Evelyn and Josephine Ijeh, both based in Sweden while Watford’s Mowaninuola Dada and Leicester City’s Megan Ashleigh were invited.
Team captain Asisat Oshoala and experienced centre back Onome Ebi were however left out while there is still no return yet for midfielder Halimatu Ayinde.
The team will converge on the Event Hotel Pyramide Vienna where they will base throughout the eight-day training camp this summer.
The Aisha Buhari six-nation Invitational tournament will be staged in Lagos, Nigeria and will have hosts Super Falcons competing with fierce African rivals Ghana, Cameroon, South Africa, Mali and Morocco.
Invited Falcons
Goalkeepers: Tochukwu Oluehi (CD Pozoalbense, Spain); Chiamaka
Nnadozie (Paris FC, France); Patience Okeke (Bayelsa Queens); Yewande
Balogun (California Storm, USA)
Defenders: Glory Ogbonna (Edo Queens); Osinachi Ohale (Madrid CFF, Spain); Esther Ogbonna (Edo Queens); Chidinma Okeke (Madrid CFF, Spain); Onyinyechi Zogg (FC Zurich, Switzerland); Nicole Payne (West
Virginia University, USA); Michelle Alozie (Houston Dash Reserves, USA); Megan Ashleigh (Leicester City, England); Josephine Ijeh (BK
Hacken, Sweden)
Midfielders: Rita Chikwelu (Madrid CFF, Spain); Ngozi Okobi-Okeoghene (Eskilstuna United, Sweden); Toni Payne (Sevilla FC, Spain);
Mowaninuola Dada (Watford FC, England)
Forwards: Rasheedat Ajibade (Atletico Madrid, Spain); Francisca Ordega (Levante UD, Spain); Gift Monday (FC Robo Queens); Joy Bokiri (Bayelsa Queens); Uchenna Kanu (Linkopings FC, Sweden); Ebere Orji (Sundsvall
DFF, Sweden); Ini-Abasi Umotong (Lewes FC, England); Evelyn Ijeh (BK Hacken, Sweden); Desire Oparanozie (FC Dijon, France)
