U-20 WWC: Danjuma picks three goalkeepers, six defenders, 10 others for qualifier

Falconets: Photo by FIFA

Falconets’ Head Coach, Christopher Danjuma has selected 19 players for the national team’s Colombia 2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup qualifier against Tanzania next Sunday.

The team comprises three goalkeepers, six defenders, five midfielders and five forwards, including goalkeeper Faith Omilana, who starred in Nigeria’s run to a first-ever FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup bronze medal-finish in India last year.

She is listed alongside fellow India 2022 star, Taiwo Afolabi, as well as defender Comfort Folorunsho and forward Opeyemi Ajakaye, who also played key roles in India and were part of the Super Falcons’ defeat of Ethiopia in a 2024 Women Olympic Football Tournament qualifying fixture last month.

The 2022 FIFA World Cup quarterfinalists have been training in Abuja for more than two weeks and will take on the Tanzanian girls at the Azam Sports Complex in Dar es Salaam from 3.00 p.m. Tanzania time (1.00 p.m. Nigeria time) on Sunday.

They will meet again in the decisive leg of the qualifier at the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja on November 19, with the winner on aggregate progressing to the third round of the race to Colombia next year.

According to thenff.com, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has picked Letticia Antonella Viana from e-Swatini as referee for the match, with her compatriots, Patricia Mkhaliph, Siphiwayikhosi Nxumalo and Nothando Nkhumane, as assistant referee 1, assistant referee 2 and fourth official respectively.

Kenya’s Margaret Omondi will serve as match commissioner.

For the return leg in Abuja, Rachel Nzigire from Democratic Republic of Congo will be referee, with Ngarassoum Victorine as assistant referee 1. Rachel’s compatriots, Carine Puazi and Carine Ampur, will be