China-based duo of Asisat Oshoala and Onome Ebi have been granted two days of grace for arrivals at the camp of Nigeria’s female national team, Super Falcons’ camp in Epe, Lagos, but France-based Desiree Oparanozie has one day of reprieve, footballlive.ng can report.
This follows a declaration by Falcons’ coach, Thomas Dennerby that Sunday, November 4 is the deadline to overseas-based players to turn up in the camp ahead of this month’s Africa Women’s Cup of Nations.
Oshoala will play for her club, Dalian Quanjian in the Chinese Super Cup clash against Jiangsu Hautai, while Oparanozie’s Guingamp will face Fleury 91 on Saturday before travelling out to Nigeria.
Ebi has also been granted a reprieve to arrive late, with both China-based players now expected on November 6, while Opranozie will be at the national team’s camp latest Monday morning.
Dennerby, who led the team to a third-place finish at the 2018 WAFU Cup in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire said he hopes to have a full complement of his squad on Tuesday, at the latest.
The Swedish gaffer, however, admitted he will have to submit his final squad list for AWCON 2018 in Ghana before all his foreign-based players land, as he intends to commence final team-building ahead of their opening group match against South Africa.
The earliest arrivals to the Falcons’ camp from overseas were the Biik Kazygurt of Kazakhstan duo of Christy Adule and Chinwendu Ihezuo as well as Chinaza Uchendu from Sporting Braga in Portugal.
They joined 15 home-based players for the second phase of camping, which started on Monday at Jubilee Chalets and Resorts, Epe, where 59-year-old Dennerby said he will finalise preparations for two weeks.
Dennerby disclosed: “We are aware that Asisat will be playing on November 3 and 10 but we have demanded her release after the November 3 match.
“We also expect Oparanozie to join us in camp on November 4 after their match this weekend.”
