Super Falcons defender Onome Ebi is on the the brink of history after she was selected in the final 23-woman list of players released by Thomas Dennerby to participate in the 8th edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup (FIFAWWC) in France next month.
Having previously featured in four FIFAWWC finals, if selected to play Onome Ebi will be the first African player to feature in five different FIFA World Cup finals.
For Evelyn Nwabuoku and Chidinma Okeke who made the cut, many who have followed the progress of the duo will say it was well deserved as England based Iniabasi Umotong failed to make the cut.
23 SUPER FALCONS FOR 8TH FIFA WORLD CUP FINALS
Goalkeepers: Tochukwu Oluehi (Rivers Angels); Alaba Jonathan (Bayelsa Queens); Chiamaka Nnadozie (Rivers Angels)
Defenders: Osinachi Ohale (Vaxjo DFF, Sweden); Ngozi Ebere (Arna Bjornar, Norway); Onome Ebi (Henan Huisanhang, China); Faith Michael (Pitea IF, Sweden); Chidinma Okeke (FC Robo)
Midfielders: Rita Chikwelu (Krstianstand DFF, Sweden); Ngozi Okobi-Okeoghene (Eskiltuna United, Sweden); Evelyn Nwabuoku (Rivers Angels); Ogonna Chukwudi (Djurgardens IF, Sweden); Halimatu Ayinde (Eskiltuna United, Sweden); Amarachi Okoronkwo (Nasarawa Amazons)
Forwards: Desire Oparanozie (En Avant Guingamp, France); Anam Imo (Malmo FC Rosengard, Sweden); Asisat Oshoala (FC Barcelona, Spain); Chinaza Uchendu (SC Braga, Portugal); Uchenna Kanu (Southeastern University, USA); Rasheedat Ajibade (Alvadsnes IL, Norway); Francisca Ordega (Shanghai W. FC); Alice Ogebe (Rivers Angels); Chinwendu Ihezuo (Henan Huishang, China)
The Super Falcons will depart Austria – where they are on a two-week residential camping – Tuesday, 4th June for France, where they play Norway, Korea Republic and host nation France (in that order) in the group phase.
The Super Falcon’s Coach Thomas Dennerby has made a serious error of judgment when he decided to drop both Ini-AbasiUmotong and Courtney Dike from the final list of players to represent Nigeria in the forthcoming 2019 Women World Cup. The Coach and the conspirators intended to hide the facts from the fans, but evil does not pay. The fact is that Onome Ebi had expressed interest in being the first Nigerian, Falcon, and African to have played in five FIFA World Cup Tournaments. Therefore the conspiracy started and they agreed to inhumanely release the two highly rated, and accomplished players to make room for an aging Ebi who has played in four world Cups without winning one. Is it fair for one selfish player to ruin the chances of the nation’s victory as a team in France, for the sake of being known as the only Falcon to play in five WCs? NFF has been fraught with corruption, but I would not have expected that a foreign born Coach would be a willing conspirator to deprive innocent, qualified players their earned privilege to play for their country’s national team. Injustice has an effective consequence for those who inflict it. What a shameful scandal; Nigeria’s NFF is nauseating!