Ahead of Thursday’s international friendly with Japan, Super Falcons gaffer, Randy Waldrum has extended invitation to Bayelsa’s Queen forward Flourish Sabastine, Edo Queens defender Jumoke Alani and Robo Queens winger Esther Onyenezide as well as defender Esther Ogbonna Akudo from Rivers Angels.
The nine-time African champions are scheduled to battle the two-time world champions in Kobe on Thursday, October 6, 2022 . The Super Falcons are already in the Asian country perfecting strategy for the match.
In August, Sabastine, Onyenezide and Alani starred for the Falconets at the U20 Women’s World Cup in Costa Rica, where trio featured for the West African nation for the entire duration of the tournament.
Sabastine, who is fresh from inspiring Bayelsa Queens to WAFU-B Champions League triumph, while Alani helped Edo Queens to runners-up stop at the recently concluded Betsy Obaseki Cup in Benin where they lost the title to.Robo Queens and Onyenezide, who was part of the squad to United States tour.
The trio’s invitations swell the number of Falconets billed for the trip to Japan to six, joining goalkeeper Nkiruka Obidinma, defenders Oluwatosin Demehin, Rofiat Imuran and midfielder Deborah Abiodun.
The Nigeria delegation departed Abuja on Saturday afternoon, with six players, namely Rivers Angels duo of Abiodun and Akudo, Edo Queens duo of Obidinma and Alani plus Onyenezie and Sabastine.
While some top players, including Leiceser City’s Ashleiph Plumptre have secured visa to Japan, a few others are still racing against time to clinch theirs, having up till Monday for a surety.
The Super Falcons will hope to bounce back from double defeats against the United States against another high-profile side ahead of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup finals in Australia and New Zealand.
