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Nigeria’s Ashleigh Plumptre has been out of the Super Falcons team since June and will miss the crucial clash against Cape Verde.
Interim manager of the Nigeria women’s national team Super Falcons, Justin Madugu has provided an update on the absence of star defender Ashleigh Plumptre from the team.
Plumptre has not featured for the Super Falcons since her switch to the Saudi Arabian league from England.
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Ashleigh Plumptre and Nigeria
The talented defender has been a mainstay of the Super Falcons since she made her international debut last year.
Plumptre went on to play a pivotal role as the Super Falcons booked a ticket to the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
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Ashleigh Plumptre in action for Nigeria || Credit: Imago
But before the FIFAWWC, she was part of the Falcons team that failed to win the CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, WAFCON, in Morocco.
However, Plumptre turned out to be a standout performer as Nigeria defied the odds to make an impact at the FIFAWWC co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand.
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Ashleigh Plumptre made her debut for Nigeria last year. (Photo Credit: Plumptre/Instagram
Super Falcons’ Absence Explained
But since that outing in Australia, the 25-year-old seems to have disappeared from the Super Falcons.
The latest concerns came after the NFF made public the list of 23 players for the decisive WAFCON qualifier against Cape Verde in Abuja.
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Ashleigh Plumptre scored all three goals from different positions for Al-Ittihad debut against Eastern Flames. X/Al-Ittihad
Interim manager, Madugu, has come out to clear the air on Plumptre’s disappearance, stating that injuries and the need for rest are some of the factors behind her absence from the team.
“Ashleigh has been having a lot of injuries,” the coach said in a video posted on Instagram.
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Ashleigh Plumptre, Al-Ittihad player || Credit: X/Al-Ittihad
“She has been picking some knocks and has not fully recovered – that is the truth about it.”
Magudu added that Ashleigh also needed a break from the Falcons to fully recover.
“She needed some rest and a break from the national team engagement so that she can recover fully,” he added.
“But she is still part of the team. When she is fully recovered, certainly we know what Ashleigh can bring – she will be part of the team going forward.”
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Super Falcons stars Plumptre and Ajibade at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup | Imago
Meanwhile, despite not playing for the Super Falcons, the defender has enjoyed a fine start to life at her Saudi Arabian club, Al-Ittihad.
She has won the Player of the Month and Best Goal of the Month for her blistering start which saw her score a hat-trick as reported by Pulse Sports Nigeria.
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