Super Falcons’ Ngozi Okobi has sealed a move to American Women’s Soccer League club, Washington Spirit FC.
The
midfielder joins fellow Super Falcons Francisca Ordega, who had been on
the books of the American club before the seventh FIFA Women’s World
Cup in Canada, and defender Josephine Chukwunonye, who was snapped up in
the middle of the tournament.
Okobi, formerly
of Delta Queens, started her national team career with the U-17 team at
the inaugural FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in New Zealand in 2008, and
was also in the Nigeria U-20 team to the 2012 FIFA U-20 Women’s World
Cup in Japan and the U-20 that reached the final of the same tournament
in Canada last year.
Okobi was also in the Falcons squad that
won the African Women Championship (AWC) in Namibia last year, and was
the only Nigerian player named Live Your Goal Player of the Match (MVP)
at the Women’s World Cup in Canada – in the Nigeria/Sweden match.
Another Super Falcons’ midfielder, Halimatu Ayinde has signed for American Women’s Soccer League side, Western New York Flash.
The
development means a good number of Nigerian women players are now on
the books of overseas–based clubs, with the attendant consequence of
exposure to better training facilities and equipment, and match
–situation confidence.
Asisat Oshoala, reigning African Player
of the Year and BBC Women’s Player of the Year, is with Liverpool Ladies
in England’s Women’s Super League, while Ini-Abasi Umotong plays for
Pompey Ladies, and Courtney Dike is still in school at Oklahoma State
University.
Defender Onome Ebi and striker Esther Sunday play
for FC Minsk in Belarus, while Falcons’ captain Evelyn Nwabuoku is now
in Kazakhstan.
Credit: Nigerian Tribune
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