Head Coach Chris Danjuma has selected midfielders Taiwo Afolabi and Esther Onyenezide, and forwards Flourish Sebastine and Opeyemi Ajakaye in Nigeria’s 20-woman squad for the forthcoming WAFU B U20 Women Tournament taking place in Kumasi, Ghana.
Danjuma, who steered the Nigerian girls to the last eight of last year’s World Cup in Costa Rica, has also picked goalkeeper Inyene Etim, defenders Comfort Folorunsho and Jumoke Alani, midfielders Chioma Olise and Blessing Emmanuel, and forwards Omowunmi Bello and Goodness Osigwe.
Afolabi, Folorunsho, Ajakaye and Emmanuel were in the Nigeria U17 girls’ team that won the bronze medals at last year’s FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup finals in India.
This year’s tournament, scheduled for 20 May–4 June, pits the Falconets in Group B against the U20 girls of Niger Republic, Burkina Faso and Togo. Hosts Ghana will confront the U20 girls of Benin Republic and Cote d’Ivoire in Group A.
Ghana and Benin Republic will lift the curtain on the tournament at the Baba Yara Stadium on Saturday, 20 May before FIFA World Cup quarter-finalists Nigeria take on Niger Republic and Burkina Faso tango with Togo on Sunday, 21 May.
The Falconets will then play Togo on 24 May, also at the Baba Yara Stadium, before trading tackles with Burkina Faso Paa Joe Stadium on Sunday, 28 May.
FALCONETS FOR WAFU B U20 WOMEN’S TOURNAMENT
Goalkeepers: Inyene Etim, Shukura Bakare, Chinyere Mgbechi
Defenders: Jumoke Alani, Oluchi Ohaegbulem, Chidinma Ogbuchi, Comfort Folorunsho, Blessing Okpe, Monica Ameh
Midfielders: Taiwo Afolabi, Chioma Olise, Chinyere Kalu, Esther Onyenezide, Blessing Emmanuel
Forwards: Shukurat Oladipo, Goodness Osigwe, Flourish Sebastine, Omowunmi Bello, Opeyemi Ajakaye, Judith Okah
FEDERATION CUP: ROUND OF 16 FIXTURES (MEN)
Heartland FC (Imo) Vs Bendel Insurance (Edo) – Awka – 24/05/23 – 2pm
Sunshine Stars (Ondo) Vs EFCC FC (FCT) – Aba – 24/05/23 – 2pm
Warri Wolves (Delta) Vs Gombe United (Gombe) – Abuja Goal Project – 24/05/23 – 2pm
Bendel Insurance Feeders (Edo) Vs Lobi Stars (Benue) – Awka – 24/05/23 – 4pm
Plateau United (Plateau) Vs Ingas FC (Enugu) – Abuja Goal Project – 24/05/23 – 4pm
Nasarawa United (Nasarawa) Vs Kwara United (Kwara) – Benin – 24/05/23 – 4pm
FC Ebeide (Ekiti) Vs Rangers International (Enugu) – Asaba – 24/05/23 – 2pm
Doma United (Gombe) Vs Edel FC (Anambra) – Abuja Area 3 – 24/05/23 – 4pm
FEDERATION CUP: QUARTER-FINAL FIXTURES (WOMEN)
Bayelsa Queens (Bayelsa) Vs Fortress Ladies (Ebonyi) – Calabar – 18/05/23 – 4pm
Lakeside Queens (Ogun) Vs Edo Queens (Edo) – Owerri – 18/05/23 – 4pm
FC Robo Queens (Lagos) Vs Nasarawa Amazons (Nasarawa) – Awka – 18/05/23 – 4pm
Rivers Angels (Rivers) Vs Delta Queens (Delta) – Aba – 18/05/23 – 4pm
FEDERATION CUP: ROUND OF 32 RESULTS (MEN)
Heartland FC (Imo) 2 Essien Ayi FC (Cross River) 1
Ahudiya (Abia) 0 Bendel Insurance (Edo) 1
Standard FC (Kaduna) 0 Sunshine Stars (Ondo) 2
EFCC FC (FCT) 1 Akwa United (Akwa Ibom) 1 (9-8 after penalties)
Warri Wolves (Delta) 0 3SC (Oyo) 0 (4-3 after penalties)
Mighty Jets (Plateau) 0 Gombe United (Gombe) 2
Osun United (Osun) 1 Insurance Feeders (Edo) 2
Cynosure FC (Ebonyi) 0 Lobi Stars (Benue) 2
Plateau United (Plateau) 2 Enyimba FC 2 (3-2 after penalties)
Ingas FC (Enugu) 1 El-Kanemi Warriors (Borno) 1 (9-8 after penalties)
Nasarawa United (Nasarawa) 3 DMD FC (Borno) 2
Ikorodu City (Lagos) 1 Kwara United (Kwara) 3
FC Ebedei (Ekiti) 4 Igbajo FC (Osun) 0
Rangers Int’l (Enugu) 2 Kano Pillars (Kano) 0
FR Ebunuja (Imo) 0 Doma United (Gombe) 4
Edel FC (Anambra) 1 Mailantarki FC (FCT) 0
FEDERATION CUP: ROUND OF 16 RESULTS (WOMEN)
Bayelsa Queens
Fortress FC (Edo) 2 Honey Badgers (Benue) 1
Heartland Queens (Imo) 0 Lakeside Queens (Ogun) 0 (2-4 after penalties)
Edo Queens (Edo) 5 Maureen Mmadu FC (Abia) 0
Robo Queens (Lagos) 3 Royal Queens (Delta) 0 (W/O)
Nasarawa Amazons (Nasarawa) 2 Naija Ratels (FCT) 1
Rivers Angels (Rivers) 1 Osun Babes (Osun) 0
Moje Queens (Kwara) 0 Delta Queens (Delta) 7
