Amb Ogbonna Thumbs Up Heartland Queens Duo In Nigeria's U-20 WWC Squard

 ..Urges Oluomachi, Mary To Be Worthy Ambassadors

The Chairman Imo State Sports Commission Boss, Hon Prince (Sir) Eleazar Onyewuchi Ogbonna "Ambassador" has congratulated the two Heartland Queens players who were invited to the provisional list of Nigeria's U-20 Women World Cup.

Reacting on the sharing news which was made public via a letter sent to the Imo State Football Association and also publicezed by the club's media, Amb Ogbonna disclosed that this is a living testimony to the fact that Imo is truly the home of sports.

Heartland Queens duo, Mary Lucky Nkpa and Oluomachi Sharon Onwere were among the strong 32-women list released on Tuesday, July 5th, 2024 by head coach, Chris Danjuma to kick start preparations for the upcoming 2024 FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in Columbian from August 31 to September 22.

The Sports Commission Boss who said that His Excellency, Distinguished Senator Hope Odidika Uzodinma "Onwa Oyoko" is very much determined to give Imolites and the youths a good platform to excel in life through the Shared Prosperity 3R mantra and his diversified Youth Empowerment programmes including the Talent Hunt Programme for the European Football Exhibition Tour in Spain.

He however urged the duo of Oluomachi and Mary to be more determined and disciplined with their trainings and try to be worthy Ambassadors of the state to make the final cut of the list to Colombia come August.

Coach Danjuma's countdown and tentative list is made up of four goalkeepers, eight defenders, eight midfielders and twelve attackers.

Nigeria is in Group D together with three-time champions, Germany, Asian football powerhouse, Korea Republic and the South American campaigners, Venezuela.

The Owerri landladies invitees were critical and crucial to the team's overall best performances in the recently concluded 2023/2024 NWFL Premiership regular season where they finished third in the group behind leaders, Nasarawa Amazons and Confluence Queens which helped the side to deservedly earn their first time ever NWFL Premiership Super Six qualification and went ahead to participate at the playoffs in Yenagoa, Bayelsa state.

While Nkpa is almost a regular in the age bracket national team having played some of the qualifying matches, Onwere is a first timer and the pluses for her must have been the flawless and incredible  performances in the immediate past league season where she shone like a million stars.