Forward Asisat Oshoala and defender Ashleigh Plumptre have withdrawn from Nigeria’s squad for the 2028 Olympic qualifiers against Comoros, with MK Dons Women captain Favour Omenazu and Belarus-based forward Blessing Okpe among the replacements, the Nigeria Football Federation said. The NFF statement said Plumptre, who had been recalled after missing the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations with an injury, asked to be excused because of a ligament problem. The federation said Oshoala also requested to be excused but did not give a reason.
Also unavailable, according to the NFF, are Benfica defender Oluwatosin Demehin and forward Flourish Sabastine, who are dealing with residency permit requirements in Portugal. Interim coach Austin Eguavoen has additionally released Oluwakemi Adegbuyi and Favour Nkwocha to join Nigeria’s under-17 women’s team ahead of the FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.
Adegbuyi was named the most valuable player at the recent WAFU-B Under-17 Girls Cup, while Nkwocha was part of Nigeria’s squad at the Under-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland. The withdrawals leave Eguavoen reshaping his roster days before Friday’s first leg at Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne, where both matches of the second-round tie will be played.
To cover absences Eguavoen has called in Omenazu and former Nigeria under-20 forward Blessing Okpe. The 22-year-old Okpe, a former Rivers Angels player, joined Dnepr Mogilev from Dinamo Minsk in April and has been among the club’s leading scorers this season; she represented Nigeria at the 2022 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup.
There have also been backroom changes. Sources told ESPN that Dr. Terry Eguaoje, the NFF’s head of coaching education, has been added to Eguavoen’s technical team; Eguaoje is also a coach educator with U.S. Soccer and has been involved in NFF coaching programs. Christopher Danjuma and former Super Falcons defender Ayisat Yusuf are among the assistants, with Olatunji Baruwa as goalkeeper coach, and Brenda Shima has been brought in to replace MaryCathryn Akinsola as the team’s media officer.
Nigeria received a bye into the second round of Olympic qualifying as one of the three highest-ranked teams, while Comoros advanced from the opening round with a 30-0 aggregate victory over Sudan. Both legs against Nigeria will be played at Remo Stars Stadium because Comoros does not have a CAF-approved venue; the first leg is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 9, with the return on Tuesday, Oct. 13. Victory would send Nigeria into the third round, where either Morocco or the Democratic Republic of Congo await.
