FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup: Danjuma invites 30 players as Nigeria gear up for Tanzania qualifiers
Nigeria Falconets head coach Christopher Musa Danjuma has announced his selection for the upcoming FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup qualifying fixture against Tanzania in November 2024, Made In Africa Sport reports.
The roster, made available to Made In Africa Sport by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), includes a mix of experienced players and emerging talents, with the hope of securing a spot in the prestigious tournament in Colombia.
Among the 30 Falconets called up are goalkeepers Faith Omilana and Linda Jiwuaku, defenders Jumoke Alani and Tumininu Adeshina, midfielders Taiwo Afolabi, Chinyere Kalu, and Chidera Okenwa, as well as forwards Chiamaka Okwuchukwu, Yina Adoo, and Opeyemi Ajakaye.
Nigeria’s journey to the 2024 FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup took an unexpected turn when Mauritius withdrew from the second-round match, granting the 2022 World Cup quarter-finalists a bye to the third round. In this round, they will face Tanzania, with the first leg scheduled to take place in Dar es Salaam between the 10th and 12th of November and the return leg set for Abuja between the 17th and 19th of November.
Coach Danjuma has chosen a few players from his World Cup quarter-finalist squad in Costa Rica from the previous year. He has also included several promising talents from the Flamingos squad that secured bronze medals at the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup in India.
The selected players have been instructed to report to the Chida Hotel in Utako, Abuja on Sunday, 22nd October.
FIFA has made significant changes to the upcoming FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup, expanding the number of finalists to 24, up from the previous 16 that participated in Costa Rica. This also means that Africa will have four representatives. Following the Tanzania fixture, the Falconets will have one more round to navigate before potentially qualifying for the tournament in Colombia in September 2024.
List of Invited Players
Goalkeepers:
- Linda Jiwuaku (Bayelsa Queens)
- Faith Omilana (Naija Ratels)
- Anderlin Mgbechi (Delta Queens)
- Shukurat Bakare (Nasarawa Amazons)
Defenders:
- Jumoke Alani (Edo Queens)
- Oluwabunmi Semilore (Naija Ratels)
- Oluchi Ohaegbunam (Nasarawa Amazons)
- Tumininu Adeshina (Naija Ratels)
- Shukurat Oladipo (FC Robo Queens)
- Comfort Folorunsho (Edo Queens)
- Monica Elejo (Nasarawa Amazons)
- Alake Kasali (Bayelsa Queens)
Midfielders:
- Taiwo Afolabi (Delta Queens)
- Chinyere Kalu (Nasarawa Amazons)
- Vera Samuel (Delta Queens)
- Shukurat Sobowale (Nasarawa Amazons)
- Esther Inyang (Delta Queens)
- Aminat Folorunsho (Rivers Angels)
- Gloria Evans (FCT Academy)
- Chidera Okenwa (Delta Queens)
Forwards:
- Chiamaka Okwuchukwu (Rivers Angels)
- Chinasa Ogor (Delta Queens)
- Opeyemi Ajakaye (FC Robo Queens)
- Adaobi Okoh (Remo Stars Ladies)
- Chioma Olise (Edo Queens)
- Chisom China (Bayelsa Queens)
- Lydia Joshua (Heartland Queens)
- Delight Isaac (Dannaz Ladies)
- Jenat Akekoromowei (Asisat Oshoala Academy)
- Yina Adoo (Nasarawa Amazons)