Nigeria’s Super Falcons centre-back Ashleigh Plumptre has been ruled out of Nigeria’s 2024 Olympic Games qualifier against South Africa.
Plumptre pulled out of the two-legged contest due to injury.
Jumoke Alani has been called up as a replacement for the Al Ittihad of Saudi Arabia player.
Head Coach, Randy Waldrum will have to reshuffle his defence with the duo of Oluwatosin Demehin and Rofiat Imuran already ruled out of the game with injury.
Plumptre’s absence leaves Osinachi Ohale as the only experienced centre-back in the team.
The Super Falcons open camp for the two-legged contest on Sunday.
Bay FC forward, Assist Oshoala will be the last player to arrive at Super Falcons camp ahead of Friday’s 2024 Olympic Games qualifier against the Banyana Banyana of South Africa.
Oshoala will arrive at camp on Thursday, a day before the first leg.
Head coach Randy Waldrum is already in camp alongside the quartet of Rasheedat Ajibade, Ashleigh Plumptre, Linda Jiwaku and Jumoke Alani.
The Super Falcons will welcome Banyana Banyana to the Moshood Abiola Stadium, Abuja on Friday before both teams clash again in Pretoria five days later.
The winner will join Brazil, Japan and Spain in Group C at the Olympic Games in Paris in July and August.
Meanwhile, reigning African champions, Banyana Banyana, have arrived Nigeria ahead of their Olympic qualifying match against the Super Falcons.
The South African team, led by Coach Desiree Ellis, landed in Abuja a day earlier than planned, showing their keen readiness for the challenge.
Interestingly, Banyana Banyana of South Africa head coach, Desiree Ellis is delighted to have experienced trio, Bambanani Mbane, Refiloe Jane and Sibulele Holweni back in the squad for the crunch 2024 Olympic Games qualifier against the Super Falcons of Nigeria.
The trio are making a return to the squad since the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
Mbane, Jane and Holweni are part of the 24-player squad that will face the Super Falcons in the two-legged contest.
Ellis claimed their return is a timely boost for her team’s desire to qualify for the Paris 2024.
“There is one thing that you can never buy and that is experience,” he said, adding that the team also has a few talented young players,” Ellis said after naming her squad.
“Experience helps a lot when it adds value to the team. They have been there in tough situations and when things were not okay where they stood up to be counted. We also have the enthusiasm of the youth and we needed to get that mix right.
“We have young players like Karabo Dhlamini, Nthabiseng Majiya, Fikile Magama, Sinoxolo and Noxolo Cesane, those players are coming through and for us, it is important to get that mix of youth and experience right.
Nigeria will host the first leg at the Moshood Abiola Stadium, Abuja on Friday.
The return leg will take place at the Loftus Stadium, Pretoria on Tuesday, April 9.
The winner of this tie will join Brazil, Japan and Spain in Group C at the Olympic Games in Paris in July and August.
