Izuchukwu OkosiNigeria Super Falcons will play against USA Women’s national team in a two-legged friendly matches on September 3 and 6 with four members of the Super Falconets team that reached the quarter-finals of 2022 U20 Women’s World Cup in Costa Rica included in the Falcons’ that have arrived in Kansas City, USA.
The players are defenders Oluwatosin Demehin and Rofiat Imuran, and midfielders Esther Onyenezide and Deborah Abiodun.
Surprisingly Flourish Sabastine, one of the most promising players in the Falconets squad could not make the cut.
The Super Falcons are in the United States of America on a two-match tour with the United States Women’s National Team, with the first of the two matches taking place at the Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas, on Saturday, September 3.
Both teams qualified for next year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup finals in Australia and New Zealand and will have a go at each other’s jugular once more at the Audi Field in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, September 6.
Home-based professionals Christy Ohiaeriaku, Akudo Ogbonna, and Gift Monday are also in the delegation. First-choice goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie, defender Osinachi Ohale, midfielder Toni Payne, and forwards Rasheedat Ajibade and Uchenna Kanu will provide the spine for an interesting Nigeria selection.
The USWNT is the most successful team in the FIFA Women’s World Cup, having won half of the eight editions competed for so far.
The Stars and Stripes were champions of the very first edition in China in 1991, and then won on home soil in 1999, in Canada in 2015, and in France three years ago. The team has also won four Olympic women’s football gold medals and eight CONCACAF titles.
The Super Falcons have won the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations nine times, played in every edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup, and also played at the 2000, 2004 and 2008 Olympic women’s football tournaments. They remain the most successful women’s team on the African continent.
Super Falcons Squad
Goalkeepers: Chiamaka Nnadozie (Paris FC, France); Christy Ohiaeriaku (Edo Queens)
Defenders: Nicole Payne (West Virginia University, USA); Glory Ogbonna (ALG Spor, Turkey); Osinachi Ohale (Deportivo Alaves, Spain); Michelle Alozie (Houston Dash, USA); Akudo Ogbonna (Edo Queens); Oluwatosin Demehin (Rivers Angels)
Midfielders: Jennifer Echegini (Florida State University, USA); Christy Ucheibe (SL Benfica, Portugal); Toni Payne (Sevilla FC, Spain); Amanda Mbadi Uju (Atasehir Belediyespor, Turkey); Deborah Abiodun (Rivers Angels)
Forwards: Rasheedat Ajibade (Atletico Madrid, Spain); Rofiat Imuran (Rivers Angels); Uchenna Kanu (Tigres Femenil, Mexico); Vivian Ikechukwu (WFC Gintra, Lithuania); Ifeoma Onumonu (NY/NJ Gotham FC, USA); Gift Monday (Bayelsa Queens); Esther Onyenezide (FC Robo Queens).
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
In October 2004, Okosi joined Complete Communications Limited, publishers of Complete Sports newspaper and Complete Football magazine as a reporter and later script writer for the Complete Sports studio.
He worked there for 13 years until October 2017.
Okosi also worked various times as Correspondent, Content creator and Editor at Sports Market International Magazine, Opera News, All Nigeria Soccer Media and Iconic Media Watch.
He also undertook freelance writing gigs for some local and international organizations.
Okosi is a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Association of Voiceover Artistes of Nigeria (AVOA), Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
He has been part of cast in some Nollywood movies and radio dramas including Blood Money 2, Scores To Settle, Dead End 2, Another Campus Tale and Battle Line.
Aside mainstream media and the entertainment industry, he has interests in scouting/unearthing of talents in the sports and creative sectors, exports business and property development.
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