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By Ebenezer Bajela
Super Falcons head coach, Randy Waldrum, on Friday, named Onome Ebi and returning Desire Oparanozie in his squad for the Women’s World Cup scheduled to be held in Australia and New Zealand.
Ebi is set to become the oldest player to appear at the World Cup after she turned 40 last month.
The mundial will also be the captain’s sixth appearance at the biggest Women’s football showpiece.
Meanwhile, Oparanozie returned to the squad after being overlooked following her outburst at the World Cup in France in 2019.
Also listed in the team for the trip are Barcelona’s Asisat Oshoala and Atletico Madrid’s Rasheedat Ajibade.
There is also first-choice goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie, as well as defenders Osinachi Ohale and Oluwatosin Demehin, midfielders Halimatu Ayinde and Christy Ucheibe, and forwards Esther Okoronkwo.
Nigeria will play Canada, co-host nation Australia and the Republic of Ireland in that order at the biggest-ever FIFA Women’s World Cup finals in history, with 32 teams set to debut at the championship – same number as for the men’s finals in Qatar last year.
Nine-time African champions Nigeria, who were within whistling distance of the semi-finals before losing to Brazil in extra time in the United States of America in 1999, will arrive in Australia on Tuesday, July 4, for a 15-day final camping programme before the finals begin on July 20.