Blow for Super Falcons as Halimatu Ayinde is ruled out of Paris Olympic games

Nigeria’s Super Falcons will be without one of their most influential midfielders, Halimatu Ayinde, for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

Ayinde’s club announced on Thursday afternoon that she suffered a knee injury during training and will not recover in time for the games.

“Unfortunately, Halimatu Ayinde injured her knee during training yesterday and will miss the Olympics. We wish her a speedy recovery. Come on, Halimatu,” the club said.

The Super Falcons are set to face Brazil in their opening group game on July 25th.

Super Falcons of Nigeria head coach Randy Waldrum will now need to find a replacement from the alternate list, which includes Gift Monday, Ifeoma Onumonu, Jumoke Alani, and Morufat Ademola.

This unexpected change could impact the team’s strategy and performance in the tournament. Ayinde has been a key player for both her club and country.

She joined Rosengard FC in 2022 from Eskilstuna United and was instrumental in Nigeria’s impressive run at the World Cup last year.