India 2022: Olowookere picks Dah-Zossu, Ajakaye, Afolabi, 18 others for World Cup
Head Coach Bankole Olowookere has selected team captain Alvine Dah-Zossu, midfield jewel Taiwo Afolabi and top scorer Opeyemi Ajakaye as part of Nigeria’s 21-girl squad for this year’s FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup finals.
There are also first-choice goalkeeper Faith Omilana, defenders Comfort Folorunsho, Blessing Sunday and Miracle Usani, midfielders Blessing Emmanuel and Chidera Okenwa, and forwards Omowunmi Bello and Yetunde Ayantosho.
Players and officials are scheduled to depart the shores of Nigeria on Monday, 26th September for a 10-day training camp in Turkey, before the delegation will jet off for India from Istanbul on 6th October.
Matches of this year’s FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup will take place at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, Pandit Jawarharlal Nehru Stadium in Goa and the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai.
Nigeria’s first match of the campaign is against Germany in Goa on Tuesday, 11th October, starting at 8pm India time (4pm Nigeria time). The Flamingos will then square up to New Zealand on Friday, 14th October also in Goa, before flying to Bhubaneswar to take on Chile on Monday, 17th October.
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Since the competition was launched in New Zealand 14 years ago, Nigeria has only once been absent at the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup – the 2018 finals staged in Uruguay.
21 FLAMINGOS FOR FIFA WORLD CUP:
Goalkeepers: Faith Omilana; Linda Jiwuaku; Jessica Inyiama
Defenders: Olamide Oyinlola; Josephine Edafe; Comfort Folorunsho; Miracle Usani; Tumininu Adeshina; Blessing Sunday; Alase Attervall; Immaculata Offiong
Midfield: Chidera Okenwa; Blessing Emmanuel; Mary Aderemi; Bisola Mosaku; Taiwo Afolabi
Forward: Omowunmi Bello; Opeyemi Ajakaye; Edidiong Etim; Alvine Dah-Zossu; Yetunde Ayantosho
GROUP A: India, USA, Morocco, Brazil
GROUP B: Germany, Nigeria, Chile, New Zealand
GROUP C: Spain, Colombia, Mexico, China
GROUP D: Japan, Tanzania, Canada, France