Asisat Oshoala - Barcelona

Nigeria's Oshoala and Namibia's Coleman seek help to return home

Barcelona striker Asisat Oshoala and Valencia striker Zenatha Coleman are seeking for help to return home from their base in Spain following the cancellation of the Spanish Primera Iberdrola earlier this month due to the Covid-19 outbreak.

The decision of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) to cancel the women's season in Spain which saw Oshoala's Barcelona crowned the champions, while 15th placed Coleman's Valencia escaped relegation from the top-flight.

The duo is the latest female players based in Europe to make such a request for help after SL Benfica striker Thembi Kgatlana had written to the South African Football Association (Safa) following the cancellation of the Portuguese Liga BPI in April.

Spain, where the African pair are based is among many countries that are slowly lifting their lockdown regulations, despite being the second most affected nation in Europe, with 282,480 cases, and 26,837 deaths, as of Tuesday.   

Oshoala contributed 26 goals in all competitions for Barcelona, including 20 in 19 league games to emerge as the league's second-highest scorer during the 2019-20 season.  

The four-time African Women's Footballer of the Year winner, who observed the Ramadan fast in Spain, revealed she wants to return home to join her family. 

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On the other hand, Coleman, who joined Valencia from Zaragoza in 2018, has scored 11 goals in 47 league appearances, including four in 20 this season.

And the Brave Warriors star, who is the first Namibian female international to play in Europe, revealed her desire to reunite with her family as soon as possible.

In Africa, Nigeria is the fourth most impacted nation with over 8000 cases and 233 deaths, while Nambia are 54th on the continent, with just 22 cases and no coronavirus death so far.

Oshoala's home return hopes hang in the balance as restriction of international flights into Nigeria remain in force, while hope is rising for Coleman as flight operations resumed in Namibia since May 6.

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