After the Super Eagles overcame Cameroon’s Indomitable Lions at the Round of 16 of the Africa Cup of Nations, the women too are stepping up for a potentially titanic battle.

At stake is a qualification ticket for the final round to the Paris 2024 Olympic women football event.

To this end, Nigeria have called up 21 players, among them captain Rasheedat Ajibade and goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie.

In the Nigerian arsenal is also  the five-time African Player of the Year Asisat Oshoala and free-scoring forward Esther Okoronkwo.

They are all shaping up  for next week’s 2024 Women’s Olympic Football Tournament qualifying fixture against the Indomitable Lionesses of Cameroon.

This fixture is the third round of the African qualifying series, and the penultimate round of the series before the continent’s flag-bearers to the 2024 Olympics are known ahead of the Games in five months’ time.

Goalkeeper Tochukwu Oluehi, defenders Osinachi Ohale and Oluwatosin Demehin, midfielders Deborah Abiodun and Christy Ucheibe, and forwards Toni Payne, Uchenna Kanu and Omorinsola Babajide are also called.

Versatile defender Ashleigh Plumptre makes a return to the fold since the FIFA Women’s World Cup finals in Australia last year summer.

Fierce rivals Nigeria and Cameroon will battle it out in the first leg of the fixture at the Stade de la Reunification in Douala, Cameroon on Friday next week (23^rd February), with Ugandan official Shamirah Nabadda as referee. Her compatriots Lydia Nantabo, Jane Mutonyi and Diana Murungi will serve as assistant referee 1, assistant referee 2 and fourth official respectively. Khadija Rezzag from Morocco will be the referee assessor while Lukusa Kanjinga from Democratic Republic of Congo will be the commissioner.

For the second leg match in Nigeria, taking place at the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja on Monday, 26^th February, CAF has appointed Namibian official Ndemugwanitha Twanyanyukwa as referee, with her compatriots Eveline Augustinus, Olivia Amukuu and Vistoria Shangula in the roles of assistant referee 1, assistant referee 2 and fourth official respectively.

Alice Wangari Kimani from Kenya will serve as referee assessor while Christine Ziga from Ghana will be the commissioner.

SUPER FALCONS TO BATTLE CAMEROON:

Goalkeepers: Chiamaka Nnadozie (Paris FC); Tochukwu Oluehi (Shualat Alsharqia FC, Saudi Arabia); Linda Jiwuaku (Bayelsa Queens)

Defenders: Osinachi Ohale (Pachucha Club de Futbol, Mexico); Ashleigh Plumptre (Ittihad Ladies, Saudi Arabia); Oluwatosin Demehin (Stade de Reims, France); Michelle Alozie (Houston Dash, USA); Akudo Ogbonna (Remo Stars Ladies); Rofiat Imuran (Stade de Reims, France)

Midfielders: Deborah Abiodun (University of Pittsburgh, USA); Halimatu Ayinde (FC Rosengard, Sweden); Christy Ucheibe (SL Benfica, Portugal); Jennifer Echegini (Juventus Ladies, Italy); Rasheedat Ajibade (Atletico Madrid FC, Spain); Toni Payne (Sevilla FC, Spain)

Forwards: Omorinsola Babajide (Coasta Adeje Tenerife Egatesa, Spain); Esther Okoronkwo (Henan FC, China); Ifeoma Onumonu (SLC Utah, USA); Asisat Oshoala (Bay FC, Spain); Uchenna Kanu (Racing Louisville, USA); Gift Monday (Coasta Adeje Tenerife Egatesa, Spain)