Dijon forward, Desire Oparanozie has been recalled to the Super Falcons training camp in Austria, as Nigeria begins preparation for the Aisha Buhari invitational tourney.
Oparanozie, who skippered the West African nation to the knockout stages for the first time in 20 years, last played for her country at the Fifa Women’s World Cup finals in June 2019.
The 27-year-old fell out of favour with the authorities under former coach, Thomas Dennerby due to her alleged role in the team staging a protest in Grenoble following a 3-0 round of 16 defeat to Germany in France.
Two other players; Lewes striker Ini Umotong, and Sundsvall DFF stand out striker Ebere Orji also made their way back to the fold after a two-year absence.
Head coach of the team, Randy Waldrum also handed invitation to four foreign-born players to include Leicester City’s Ashleigh Plumptre, Watford’s Adekite Fatuga-Dada and Swedish born Hackens’ sisters duo of Josphine and Evelyn Ijeh – duaghters of former Nigeria international Peter Ijeh.
Nigerian based delegation on Thursday, flew in Vienna – venue for the 8-day training camp, which is the third gathering that the Nigeria Football Federation arranged for the Super Falcons this year.
Prior to the Vienna camp, the federation had organized other exercises for the nine-time AWCON champion to participate in the Turkish Women’s Cup in Antalya in February and the Summer Series in the USA last month.
The Aisha Buhari Invitational Women’s Tournament which is slated for September, will see the Super Falcons battle Ghana’s Black Queens, Cameroon’s Indomitable Lionesses, Banyana Banyana of South Africa, Morocco and Mali in the six-nation tournament in Lagos.
SUPER FALCONS SQUAD FOR AUSTRIA
Goalkeepers: Tochukwu Oluehi (CD Pozoalbense, Spain); Chiamaka Nnadozie (Paris FC, France); Oyinyechi 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, USA); Ashleigh Plumptre (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); Adekite Fatuga-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 (SundsvallDFF, Sweden); Ini-Abasi Umotong (Lewes FC, England); Evelyn Ijeh (BK Hacken, Sweden); Desire Oparanozie (FC Dijon, France)
