Interim head coach of the Super Falcons, Christopher Danjuma, has named Asisat Oshoala as the team’s new captain, replacing Desire Oparanozie who was appointed by the gaffer, Thomas Dennerby.
This is coming just 24 hours after Sports Minister Sunday Dare waded into the saga between Dennerby and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), after the Swede threatened to quit due to interference.
Danjuma announced a change of captainship with the backing of the nation’s football house on Tuesday evening a few hours after the sports minister, Mr Sunday Dare, visited the team in the morning.
The coach failed to name an assistant for Oshoala, who will not be available for the qualifiers preparations until after the Barcelona clash with Sevilla on September 29.
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In 2015, a Women’s World Cup in Canada fallout saw coach Edwin Okon replaced by his then assistant Danjuma – a situation that eventually cost Nigeria a qualification ticket to the 2016 Rio Olympics.
It will be recalled that Barcelona player Oshoala, captained the Super Falcons early this month in their last Tokyo 2020 qualifier at the Agege Stadium, Lagos, where Nigeria defeated Algeria 1-0 to advance 3-0 on aggregate.
Nigeria are seeking to make a return to the Olympic’s Women’s tournament for the first time in 12 years by securing a qualification ticket to Tokyo next year.
The Super Falcons will travel to Abidjan to face the Elephants on October 2 before welcoming them for the reserve fixture in Lagos on October 6.