HEAD Coach Bala Nikyu has called 30 players to the camp of the U-17 girls national team ahead of a FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifying fixture in January. All invited players have been instructed to report at the Serob Legacy Hotel, Wuye, Abuja on Thursday, 3rd December.
The Flamingos, who have qualified for and participated in every edition of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup finals since the competition was launched in New Zealand in 2008, will take on the winner of the Botswana/Namibia first round fixture.
Namibia won the away leg to Botswana 2-1 at the weekend.
Nikyu, who also coached the team at the last finals in Costa Rica early last year, has recalled brilliant attacking midfielder Rasheedat Ajibade of FC Robo. But new faces populate the list and Nikyu stated on Tuesday that “we need to start preparations early and we are happy the NFF has given us the go-ahead to start camp on Thursday, 3rd December.”
The 5th FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup finals will hold in Jordan, 30th September – 21st October, 2016. Flamingos reached the quarter -finals in Trinidad and Tobago (2010), Azerbaijan (2012) and Costa Rica (2014).
The list goes as follows:
Goalkeepers: Chiamaka Nnadozie (Rivers Angels); Temitayo Hassan (Taraba Queens); Tolarin Joye (Pelican Stars); Rita Akarekor (Osun Queens).
Defenders: Ifeoma Ikechukwu (Rivers Angels); Anita Okwudili (Pelican Stars); Glory Sunday (Pelican Stars); Mary James (Abia Angels); Rafiat Sule (Bayelsa Queens); Mary Opara (Abia Angels); Precious Oyabara (Pelican Stars); Ramat Abdulkareem (Adamawa Queens).
Midfielders: Geraldine Amadi (Taraba Queens); Joy Duru (Nasarawa Amazons); Grace Michael (Taraba Queens); Ayowunmi Omosuyi (Sunshine Queens); Ayo Barakat Olaiya (Bayelsa Queens); Ikoyo Rijoile (Osun Queens); Blessing Okpe (COD Ladies); Ndefo Uche (Edo Queens).
Forwards: Hanniyatu Adeleke (Osun Queens); Rasheedat Ajibade (FC Robo); Cynthia Aku (Rivers Angels); Precious Edewor (Osun Queens); Aishat Bello (Kogi Confluence Queens); Pato Moses (Pelican Stars); Ogoma Joseph (Rivers Angels); Juliet Bassey (Rivers Angels); Peace Barnabas (Edo Queens); Blessing Rijoile (Edo Queens).
