Head Coach of the Super Falcons, Florence Omagbemi, on Tuesday picked 18 players for their match against the Terenga Lioness of Senegal in Dakar on Friday.
“It is not easy for me to drop anyone for this game. I wish I could go to Dakar with all the players, but I cannot.
“We have to keep working together to achieve our common goal, which is winning. We are going to Senegal to win,’’ Omagbemi told reporters after Tuesday’s training session.
She later told the players who were dropped that not going to Senegal did not mean that they were not part of the team.
“You may not be part of the team going to Dakar now, but you will still have the opportunity of fighting for a place in the team for the return leg next week.
“Keep working hard till we return from Dakar, and support your team mates going to Senegal with prayers for the team to be successful.
“The team’s success means everyone’s success,” Omagbemi said.
According to reports the Senegal/Nigeria match is the first leg game in the final round of qualifiers for the 2016 African Women Cup of Nations (AWCON).
The second leg game is slated for Abuja on Tuesday, while the championship proper is scheduled for Cameroon in November.
The 18 Falcons picked for Senegal include Ibubeleye Whyte (Rivers Angels), Sandra Chichi (Bayelsa Queens), Onome Ebi (FC Minsk, Belarus), Blessing Edoho (Pelican Stars) and Josephine Chukwunonye (Vittsjoe GIK, Sweden).
Others are Osinachi Ohale (Rivers Angels), Ugo Njoku (Rivers Angels), Gladys Akpa (Sunshine Queens), Desire Oparanozie (EN Avent de Guingamp, France) and Ngozi Okobi (Vittsjoe GIK, Sweden).
Also picked for the game are Asisat Oshoala (Arsenal Ladies, England), Evelyn Nwabuoku (Kazygurt, Kazakhstan), Winifred Eyebhokia (Nasarawa Amazons) and Francisca Ordega (Washington Spirit, U.S.).
The rest of the players are Osarenoma Igbinovia (Bayelsa Queens), Rita Chikwelu (Umea IK, Sweden), Chioma Wogu (Kogi Confluence) and Ebere Orji (Ferencvaros, Hungary).
Seven-times champions Nigeria are the defending champions of the competition which is now in its 10th edition.
