Against Nadeshiko in Kobe Japan
Rasheedat Ajibade to lead Super Falcons of Nigeria against Japan in Kobe
By Rasheed Adewuyi
Nigeria forward Rasheedat Ajibade will lead the senior women’s team against its Japanese counterparts in a prestigious international friendly match in Kobe on Thursday.
Skipper Onome Ebi is on the recovery lane from the injury she copped at the Women Africa Cup of Nations finals in Morocco in July, just as Spain-based forward Asisat Oshoala is not available for the tie in Kobe.
Ajibade scored three goals for Nigeria in Morocco, including the winner in the crucial quarter-finals joust against Cameroon that helped Nigeria qualify for the FIFA Women’s World Cup finals in Australia and New Zealand next year.
Goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie, defenders Michelle Alozie, Osinachi Ohale, Ashleigh Plumptre, Glory Ogbonna, and midfielders Ngozi Okobi-Okeoghene, Christy Ucheibe, and Deborah Abiodun, as well as forwards Ifeoma Onumonu and Uchenna Kanu, will all be in Kobe.
Also going to Kobe are goalkeeper Peace Obidinma, defenders Jumoke Alani and Akudo Ogbonna, midfielders Peace Efih and Esther Onyenezide, and forwards Amanda Uju Mbadi and Flourish Sebastian.
Abiodun, Obidinma, Alani, Onyenezide with Sebastian were in the Nigeria U20 squad at the FIFA U20 World Cup in Costa Rica.
The Super Falcons have played in the FIFA Women’s world cup since the competition’s inception. Nigeria will take on former world champions Japan at the Noevir Stadium, Kobe, from 4.30 pm Japan time (8.30 am Nigeria time) on Thursday.
Both teams have met just once at a competitive level – at the 2004 Olympic Women’s Football Tournament. Nadeshiko beat the Falcons 1-0 at the Karaiskakis Stadium in Piraeus on 14th August 2004 and won two back-to-back friendlies with Nigeria in 2013 with a 2-0 scoreline.
Thursday’s match comes less than a month after the Super Falcons embarked on a two-match tour of the United States of America, where they played and lost twice in succession to the USWNT in Kansas City and Washington, DC.
