After reports in Australia broke overnight, the Washington Spirit confirmed that Francisca Ordega will play the rest of the W-League season on loan with Sydney FC this morning. Ordega has joined Sydney already, and will stay in Australia through the end of the W-League season in February before returning to rejoin the Spirit for the preseason.
Ordega joins a Sydney side that is pushing hard to compete for honors in the W-League this season. They’re currently in 4th place, but just one point behind league leaders Canberra United. She’ll join some big names with Sydney, who already have Australian internationals Alanna Kennedy, Kyah Simon, and Caitlin Foord on their roster. However, as Sydney has just 9 goals in 6 games, they could probably use some help up front.
Ordega’s arrival in Australia was likely delayed by Nigeria’s participation in the Africa Women Cup of Nations. The Super Falcons, with Ordega starting, ended up winning the tournament. However, the team was not paid their tournament bonuses, and responded by sitting in at a hotel as a protest. That protest recently ended, freeing Ordega up to join her (temporary) new club.
Ordega will join fellow Spirit forward Katie Stengel (Western Sydney Wanderers) wintering in Australia. At the start of the W-League season, the Spirit had five players on loan with Aussie clubs, but things have changed a lot over the past few weeks. Christine Nairn (Melbourne Victory) has since been traded to the Seattle Reign, while Megan Oyster (Newcastle Jets) was moved in similar fashion to the Boston Breakers. Goalkeeper Kelsey Wys was also with Newcastle, but suffered a torn ACL early in the season.