Big blow! Jumoke Alani steps in for injured Ashleigh Plumptre ahead of South Africa games

Al-Ittihad defender,Ashleigh Plumptre,has been sidelined from the Super Falcons’ crucial Olympic qualification final against South Africa, as reported by Soccernet.ng.

Plumptre, a former Leicester City women’s defender, was among the early arrivals at the camp alongside Rasheedat Ajibade and Linda Jiwauku in preparation for the upcoming doubleheader.

However, the Super Falcons’ official page has confirmed that Plumptre will miss the match against Desiree Elis’ troops due to injury. In her place, Jumoke Alani has been named as the replacement defender.

🧾CAMP UPDATE:

Defender Jumoke Alani named as replacement for Ashleigh Plumptre, who pulled out due to injury 🤕 vs South Africa 🇿🇦#SoarSuperFalcons| #NGARSA| #Paris2024

— NGSuper_Falcons (@NGSuper_Falcons) April 1, 2024

The match between the two powerhouse teams, both considered top women’s football squads in Africa, will determine one of the two tickets from the continent for the Paris 2024 Olympics women’s football tournament.

The first leg will be held at the MKO Abiola National Stadium in Abuja, with the return fixture scheduled for the Loftus Versfeld arena in Pretoria five days later.

The Super Falcons are highly motivated for the fixture, aiming to secure victory against South Africa, a team they have struggled to beat in regulation time for several years.

The match holds added significance as the South Africans emerged victorious in the Women Africa Cup of Nations last year, defeating the Super Falcons 2-1 in a group stage encounter.

Despite the absence of Plumptre, the Super Falcons are determined to secure a decisive victory and secure their spot in the upcoming 2024 Olympic qualifiers.

N.B: How do you think Randy Waldrum will line up without Ashleigh Plumptre? Leave your comments below.

Ayomide Oguntimehin

Ayomide Oguntimehin is a CAF-accredited sports journalist and an Editor at Soccernet.ng, with a proven track record in conducting interviews with Super Eagles stars such as William Troost-Ekong, Taiwo Awoniyi, Bright Osayi-Samuel, Ademola Lookman, and many others. He has also made a significant impact in breaking transfer news stories.

Grounded in video editing, video journalism, social media management, and content strategy, Ayomide brings a wealth of expertise to his work.

With a Bachelor’s degree in English Language from Adeyemi College of Education and a Master’s Degree in School Library and Media Technology from the University of Ibadan, Ayomide is well-prepared to excel in the field.