2023 FIFA WWC: Ordega, Ayinde yet to hit Brisbane as 21 Falcons intensify training

Super Falcons Brisbane camp is now bubbling with 21 out of 23 registered players sweating it out in training just as only Russia-based winger Francisca Ordega and veteran  midfielder Halimatu Ayinde are yet to arrive Australia.

Promptnews can authoritatively report that difficulties in flight connections may be responsible for the none arrival of Ordega and Ayinde in Falcons’ camp at Mercure Resorts, Gold Coast City, Brisbane.

According to camp sources, the nine-time African champions are training two times daily since arriving Brisbane camp in batches on Monday and yesterday for a 15-day training camp ahead of the FIFA Women’s World Cup July 20 kick off date.

Only a handful of players and backroom staff  took off from Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja Qatar Airways on Sunday while the second batch departed from the same airport on Monday for Australia.

Head coach Randy Waldrum also made his way to Brisbane, Australia from University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in United States of America (USA) where is also the head coach of Pittsburgh  Panthers women’s soccer team.

The gaffer like 98% of Super Falcons players are based abroad and rarely spends a week in Nigeria since he was hired by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) under former president Amaju Melvin Pinnick in October 2020.

Nigeria is drawn in Group B with co-host Australia; Olympics champions Canada and Ireland.