Super Falcons captain Rasheedat Ajibade, her Paris Saint-Germain teammate Jennifer Echegini and Chicago Stars defender Michelle Alozie reported to camp in Ijebu-Ode on Tuesday, taking the squad past 20 players. Nigeria open their Los Angeles 2028 Olympic qualifying campaign against Comoros on Friday at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne-Remo, with kick-off at 6pm.
| Fixture | Nigeria v Comoros, LA 2028 Olympic qualifier, second round |
| First leg | Friday 9 October, Remo Stars Stadium, Ikenne-Remo, 6pm |
| Return leg | Tuesday 13 October, same venue |
| Coach | Augustine Eguavoen (interim) |
| Out | Oshoala, Plumptre, Demehin, Sabastine, Adegbuyi, Nkwocha |
| Referee | Henriette Byukusenge (Rwanda) |
Who is in, who is still to come
The camp started slowly. Only nine players were there when preparations began.
Tuesday changed that. Midfielders Christy Ucheibe and Toni Payne and forwards Folashade Ijamilusi and Janet Akekoromowei also checked in, ThisDay reported. Complete Sports added goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie to the list of arrivals. Goalkeeper Comfort Erhabor and forwards Gift Monday, Joy Omewa and Uchenna Kanu were the last names still awaited.
The players are training at the Otunba Dipo Dina Stadium.
Ajibade is the headline arrival. She wears the armband, and her story is in our Rasheedat Ajibade biography. Echegini brings legs and invention to midfield. Her route to the Falcons is told in our Jennifer Echegini profile.
The absentees
The squad Eguavoen named had 28 players. It has lost six.
Asisat Oshoala asked to be excused. Belarus-based forward Blessing Nkor, once of the Falconets, takes her place. Defender Ashleigh Plumptre is out with a sprain and ligament injury. Benfica pair Oluwatosin Demehin and Flourish Sabastine were held back by residence permit requirements. Oluwakemi Adegbuyi and Favour Nkwocha were released to the Flamingos for the FIFA U17 Women's World Cup.
That is a lot of experience gone. Too much? Friday will tell.
Why Comoros will be at home in Ikenne
Comoros were due to host the first leg, but both games will now be played at the Remo Stars Stadium. The visitors arrived in Ijebu-Ode on Monday and held their first session in Ikenne-Remo on Tuesday evening.
They are not here to make up the numbers. Comoros beat Sudan 30-0 on aggregate in the first round while Nigeria had a bye, and although nobody expects a side of that profile to trouble the African champions over two legs, Eguavoen will not want a scrappy start to his interim spell. For a former Super Eagles coach now in temporary charge of the women, a comfortable aggregate win would be the simplest way to settle a squad that has been reshaped by withdrawals in the space of a single week.
He was handed the job in September while the NFF looks for a substantive coach. His assistants are Nasarawa Amazons coach Christopher Danjuma, former Falcons defender Ayisat Yusuf and goalkeeper trainer Olatunji Baruwa. More on the man himself is in our Augustine Eguavoen profile.
The stakes are clear. Africa still has only two places at the Los Angeles Games, even with the women's tournament growing from 12 to 16 teams. Nigeria must come through four rounds to get there. The winner of this tie moves on to the third round.
This article was most recently revised and updated 2 days ago
