Nigeria's Super Falcons have suffered a significant blow ahead of their 2028 Olympic qualifiers against Comoros, with star players Asisat Oshoala and Ashleigh Plumptre withdrawing from the squad. The Nigeria Football Federation confirmed that Plumptre asked to be excused due to a ligament injury, while Oshoala's reason for withdrawal was not disclosed. This development has forced interim coach Austin Eguavoen to make changes to his squad.
The withdrawals of Oshoala and Plumptre are not the only setbacks for the Super Falcons, as Benfica defender Oluwatosin Demehin and forward Flourish Sabastine will also miss the matches due to residency permit issues in Portugal. Additionally, Oluwakemi Adegbuyi and Favour Nkwocha have been released to join Nigeria's Under 17 women's team ahead of the FIFA Under 17 Women's World Cup in Morocco. These changes have necessitated the call-up of new players to the squad.
Favour Omenazu, captain of MK Dons Women, and Belarus-based forward Blessing Okpe have been called up as replacements. Omenazu now has the opportunity to make her senior international debut, while Okpe returns to the national team after a good run of form in Belarus. Okpe previously represented Nigeria at the 2022 FIFA Under 20 Women's World Cup and has been among her club's leading scorers this season.
The Super Falcons will face Comoros in the second round of the Olympic qualifiers, with the first leg scheduled to take place at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne on Friday, October 9. The return leg will also be played at the same venue on Tuesday, October 13, as Comoros does not have a stadium approved by the Confederation of African Football for international matches.
The Super Falcons received a bye into the second round of the Olympic qualifiers due to their ranking as one of Africa's top three teams. Comoros reached the second round after defeating Sudan 3-0 on aggregate in the opening round. A win over Comoros would take Nigeria into the third round, where they could face either Morocco or the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Coach Eguavoen has also made changes to his technical team, with Dr. Terry Eguaoje joining as an assistant coach. Christopher Danjuma and former Super Falcons defender Ayisat Yusuf will also assist Eguavoen, while Olatunji Baruwa remains the goalkeeper coach. Brenda Shima has replaced MaryCathryn Akinsola as the team's media officer.
Nigeria is seeking to qualify for successive Olympic Games after returning to the competition at Paris 2024 following a 16-year absence. Africa has two qualification places for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. The team will look to build on their recent performances and secure a spot in the Olympic Games.
Key points
- Asisat Oshoala and Ashleigh Plumptre have withdrawn from Nigeria's squad for the 2028 Olympic qualifiers against Comoros.
- The Super Falcons will face Comoros in the second round of the Olympic qualifiers, with the first leg scheduled for October 9.
- Nigeria is seeking to qualify for successive Olympic Games after returning to the competition at Paris 2024.
