Nkwocha,Ukaonu, Chikwelu, Ikidi Join Falcons In Camp

Faith Ikidi

The Super Falcons have been boosted by the arrival of four Europe-based players as they prepare to take on the Mighty Warriors of Zimbabwe.

Long-serving striker Perpetua Nkwocha led the arrival of four players who are based in Sweden.

Nkwocha arrived the team’s Lagos camp, alongside Falcons and Sunnana SK of Sweden teammate Helen Ukaonu, on Wednesday, ahead of the Falcons team that arrived same day from Abuja.

Ukaonu in her first call-up to the Super Falcons under coach Kadiri Ikhana praised the Super Falcons for the first-leg victory over Zimbabwe, saying that the result has definitely boosted the team’s confidence going into the second leg on home soil.

“In Zimbabwe the girls did a great job to come home with that 2-0 victory and it is great that we didn’t concede a goal.”

She added: “With all due respect to Zimbabwe, I do not think they will come to our country and overpower us. We are prepared for the game and I can assure Nigerians that we will be in Equatorial Guinea to defend our title.”

Another player who was called up for the first time by Ikhana is defender Faith Ikidi who also plays her club football in Sweden for Pitea IF.

According the Ikidi, the caliber of players in the squad elicits confidence, saying that the coach has called up the best hands to play Zimbabwe on Saturday.

“I am very excited to be in the team and play for my country, and I want to thank Coach Kadiri Ikhana for giving me this chance to come and show myself.” She said.

“All I want to do is to play well with the team, the way the coach wants me to play, and motivate my teammates.”

We need our best hands on Saturday and that is exactly what the coach has put together. We have lots of talented players and that is amazing. We also have a lot of upcoming players. It will be good to play with them. They can learn from me and I can learn from them too.”

There are a total of 24 players in camp but the foreign-based players are expected to return to their clubs after the AWC qualifier with Zimbabwe, leaving 20 players for the match with Banyana Banyana.

The team had their first training session on Wednesday afternoon at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, same venue for the matches with Zimbabwe and South Africa.

The match with Zimbabwe will be played on Saturday June 16, 2012 at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos.