NIGERIA UNVEILS FINAL SQUAD

HEAD coach of the Nigeria women U-17 national team, Bala Nikyu has released a list of
21 players for the FIFA U-17 women World Cup in Costa Rica which holds from March 15
to April 4. Nigeria qualified for the finals of the U-17 competition without kicking the ball
after opponents, South Sudan pulled out of the two-legged qualifiers.
In the list of 21 submitted to FIFA, 7 of the players who campaigned in the last edition
were included with 14 new debutants in the tournament where Nigeria has never gone
beyond the quarter-finals in four appearances so far.
The entire defence line of the team were picked from last edition team namely, Mary
Ologbosere, Patience Dike, Ugochi Emenayo, Esther Elijah, Faith Alex and Joy Duru.
Expectedly, red-hot striker Chiwendu Ihezuo who finished second highest goal scorer
with six goals alongside six others that were involved in the last edition in Azerbaijan
alongside 14 new faces made the final 21-player list for the tournament.
Four players – strikers Agams Nkechinyere and Ikeh Ginika, defender Chika Edeh and
goalkeeper Sandra Aernyi of the 25 in training camp with the Flamingoes in Faro,
Portugal have been dropped.
The Flamingoes who will be competing with 15 other countries have been drawn against
Colombia, Mexico and China PR in Group D.
Ghana and Zambia are the other African representatives at the 4th FIFA U17 Women's
World Cup.
The Flamingoes will hope to become the first African team to reach the semi-finals after
four appearances at the women cadet championship.
Nigeria's Squad
Goalkeepers – 1 Mercy VINCENT (Confluence Queens FC), 16 Fubiana BRIGGS (Pelican
Stars FC), 21 Onyinyechukwu OKEKE (Inneh Queens)
Defenders – 2 Mary OLOGBOSERE (Ibom Angels FC), 3 Patience DIKE (C.O.D United FC),
5 Ugochi EMENAYO (Nasarawa Amazons FC), 6 Esther ELIJAH (Osun Babes), 11 Faith ALEX
(Pelican Stars), 12 Joy DURU (Nasarawa Amazons) ,13 Ayomide ANIBABA (Robo FC), 17
Augustar MENE (Nasarawa Amazons FC)
Midfielders – 4 Ihuoma ONYEBUCHI (Rivers Angels FC), 8 Joy BOKIRI (Bayelsa Queens
FC), 9 Aminat YAKUBU (Rivers Angels), 10 Tessy BIAHWO (Delta Queens FC), 20
Eluemunor IJEH (Delta Queens FC) Forwards – 7 Vivian IKECHUKWU (Real Dinamo FC), 14
Rasheedat AJIBADE (Robo FC), 15 Uchenna KANU (Pelican Stars FC), 18 Cynthia AKU
(Rivers Angels), 19 Chinwendu IHEZUO (Pelican Stars)