Super Amazons: The hopes of a nation on their shoulders
Osinachi Ohale (Houston Dash, USA) – This dependable defender started from the famous female club Rivers Angels that has become synonymous with women’s national team football in Nigeria before moving to top flight league rivals Delta Queens , where she won the 2011 and 2012 Nigerian Championships. After an unsuccessful trial with Russian first division […]
Osinachi Ohale (Houston Dash, USA) – This dependable defender started from the famous female club Rivers Angels that has become synonymous with women’s national team football in Nigeria before moving to top flight league rivals Delta Queens , where she won the 2011 and 2012 Nigerian Championships. After an unsuccessful trial with Russian first division side FK Rossijanka in 2013, Ohale returned to Queens, where her impressive performances caught the attention of American club Houston Dash. She made her debut on April 12 in the first game of the season against the Portland Thorns FC with her first goal for her team coming on May 26 against Washington Spirit in a league game.
Desire Oparanozie (En Avent Guingamp, France) – One of the most fearsome strikers in global women football with amazing skills, deft touches and eyes for goals. She bagged a superb hat trick as Nigeria rout Rwanda 8-0 in the final qualification game for the African Women Championship. Product of the Delta Queens, the 21 year old Guingamp player is one of the most experienced in the team having represented Nigeria at the 2010 U20 World Cup and the 2011 senior World Cup. She’s presently one of the players campaigning to have FIFA rescind its decision to have next year’s World Cup played on synthetic pitches.
Perpetua Nkwocha (Sunnana SK, Sweden) – At the age of 38, she is the oldest player in the team and definitely one of Nigeria’s best of all times. Nwokocha can be said to have seen it all after participating in 2 World Cups, 3 Olympics tournaments and 6 AWC Championships. She was also named The African Women footballer of the year on four occasions. The experienced midfielder has been plying her trade in Sweden since 2007 and Nigerians would be counting on her to guide this averagely young team to the country’s 9th title in Namibia
Esther Sunday (FK Minsk, Belarus) – This former Sunshine Queens midfielder who presently plies her trade in Belarus with FK Minsk alongside another Nigerian Onome Ebi has a lot to offer the team in terms of experience considering she was part of the team that participated at both the last World Cup in 2011 and Women Championship in 2012.
Francisca Ordega (Pitea IFF, Sweden) – She is another lethal striker within the Falcons rank. She maintains very close friendship with strike partner Oparanozie which really helps on the pitch. Both players used to feature for Russian club Rossiyanka in the top division before moving to different clubs. Their partnership worked well during the qualifiers where Nigeria scored the most goals and hopefully it will be replicated in Namibia during the Championship
Onome Ebi (FK Minsk, Belarus) – She is a player with immense knowledge of technicalities of the modern games. Bayelsa Queens was where she started before moving onto greater things with European clubs that included Turkish champions Lisesipor. The 31 year old is very experienced having been part of squads to 3 World Cups, the 2008 Olympics and 3 African Women Championships.