Head Coach Salisu Yusuf has called to camp 35 players who will battle for shirts in the Super Eagles B squad that will tackle Ghana home and away in a 2023 African Nations Championship qualifying fixture in a few weeks.
Top of the roll is Akwa United FC first choice goalkeeper Adeyinka Adewale, who was in the Super Eagles A squad for the international friendlies against Mexico and Ecuador in the United States of America earlier in the summer, as well as the two Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Sierra Leone and Sao Tome and Principe in the month of June.
Katsina United FC defender Sani Faisal, Akwa United midfielder Babatunde Bello, Enyimba FC’s safe hands Ojo Olorunleke and Rivers United midfielder Chiamaka Madu who were also in USA, are called, as well as veteran defenders Tope Olusesi and Samson Gbadebo.
Yusuf has also invited Nathaniel Nwosu, who drew rave reviews with his excellent performance in goal for the Flying Eagles as they won the WAFU B U20 Cup in Niger Republic in May, as well as hard-as-nails Rivers United defender Kazie Enyinnaya and NPFL top scorer Chijioke Akuneto, also on the books of champions Rivers United.
All invited players are expected at the Bolton White Apartments in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja on Wednesday, 10th August.
The Eagles B will square up to the Black Galaxies in the first leg in Accra on Sunday, 28th August with the return encounter already scheduled for the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja on Saturday, 3rd September.
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The winner on aggregate will earn a berth at the 7th African Nations Championship finals to be staged in Algeria early next year.
Nigeria picked the bronze medals at the third edition of the competition held in South Africa in 2014 and then emerged runners-up of the fifth edition hosted by Morocco four years ago. The Eagles B however failed to qualify for the last edition of the competition, staged in Cameroon only early last year as a result of the global coronavirus pandemic.
ALL THE INVITED PLAYERS:
Goalkeepers: Victor Sochima (Rivers United); Adeyinka Adewale (Akwa United); Ojo Olorunleke (Enyimba FC); Nathaniel Nwosu (Flying Eagles)
Defenders: Tope Olusesi (Rangers Int’l); Kazie Enyinnaya (Rivers United); Sani Faisal (Katsina United); Samson Gbadebo (Akwa United); Ebube Duru (Rivers United); Christopher Nwaeze (Akwa United); Isa Ali (Remo Stars); Tosin Adegbite (Enyimba FC); Temple Emekayi (Rivers United); Andrew Ikefe (Plateau United)
Midfielders: Babatunde Bello (Akwa United); Philip Ozor (Enyimba FC); Maurice Chukwu (Rivers United); Hafeez Nosiru (Kwara United); Zulkifilu Mohammed (Plateau United); Chiamaka Madu (Rivers United); Jide Fatokun (Kwara United); Kenechukwu Agu (Rangers Int’l); Joseph Onoja (Rivers United); Haggai Katoh (Plateau United); Uche Onwuasonaya (Rivers United)
Forwards: Abdulazeez Yusuf (Gombe United); Sadiq Abubakar (Enyimba FC); Chidiebere Nwobodo (Rangers Int’l); Promise Amadi (Akwa United); Chijioke Akuneto (Rivers United); Valentine Odoh (Abia Warriors); Andy Okpe (Remo Stars); Adams Yakubu (Akwa United); Godspower Aniefiok (Kano Pillars); Ossy Martins (Rangers Int’l)
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COMMENTS
Despite the late preparations, I am having a good feeling about this fixture. Regardless of how it goes, I think Yusuf’s boys will put up a spirited performance.
No thanks to the NFF for their fire brigade approach towards preparing the team for this qualifiers but we are where we are. The domestic league is up and running so these home-based lads should not suffer match rustiness.
What is left is for Yusuf to work on his drills and select the right players to maximise the possibilities in his approach.
Time is tight, shame on the NFF but anything can happen.
Good luck to the homebased Super Eagles.
Correction sir you said “the domestic league is up and running” but the league just ended,anyway hope they say springs eternal.
Thanks Codex. I guess what I meant was that, unlike 2 years ago when the league was non-functional, at least this time around the domestic season ran its course.
Things were really bad for the NPFL when Nigeria failed to qualify for the last CHAN Afcon. The league was going through crippling Stop-start spells which obviously affected the players assembled to prosecute the Chan qualifiers.
Physically and mentally, the players were not in the best shape for those games hence Nigeria crashed out.
This time around, the season ran its course mercifully. This should at least be helpful to this players as they can now fully focus on these games against Ghana.
Again, good luck to the team.
Judging from the calibre of team these players were selected from I’m positive they’ll deliver.
When I saw my brother’s name on the list, I believed the selection was done on merit, watchout for “Joseph Onoja” the creative and powerful midfielder bouncing into the A team.
May God bless Nigeria.