Nigeria’s quest for a fourth appearance at the African Nations Championship is being taken seriously by players invited to the camp of the Super Eagles B, who continue to sweat it out at the exquisite Remo Stars’ Sports Institute in Ikenne-Remo, Ogun State.
A total of 30 players were assembled last week at the impressive facility, as the Eagles prepare for a potentially-explosive home-and-away qualifying fixture against the Black Galaxies of Ghana.
Only the Enyimba FC duo of goalkeeper Henry Ozoemena and defender Imo Obot were excused, as the two are seen as pivotal to the People’s Elephant’s ongoing campaign in the group phase of the CAF Confederation Cup.
Ozoemena was particularly brilliant in Enyimba FC’s encounter against Zamalek FC of Egypt in Uyo on Sunday, with a dozen big saves that enabled the Aba giants to earn a 2-2 draw.
Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2009, 2011, 2021 and 2023 finals of the competition exclusively reserved for players plying their trade in the domestic Leagues of their countries and possessing permanent contracts.
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However, appearances in 2014 (in South Africa) and 2018 (in Morocco) saw the Super Eagles mount the podium, with bronze medals in the former and silver medals in the latter. The 2016 campaign in Rwanda ended at the group stage.
Coaches Daniel Ogunmodede and Fidelis Ikechukwu have been working over-time with the players as the countdown begins to the first leg, scheduled for the Accra Sports Stadium on Sunday, 22nd December.
In two of the four previous times that the Super Eagles failed to qualify for the competition popularly called CHAN, Ghana was the bogey team. In the qualifiers for the inaugural edition in Cote d’Ivoire, Nigeria took a 2-0 first half lead in Accra, only to eventually lose the match 2-3. The return at the UJ Esuene Stadium, Calabar ended scoreless.
In the qualifiers for the last edition hosted by Algeria, Ghana won 2-0 at home and lost by the same margin in Abuja, only to snatch the ticket after a penalty shootout.
Togo ensured Nigeria’s absence from the 2021 finals, with the Hawks gaining a 4-1 win in Togo. A 2-0 win in Lagos by Nigeria was not enough to overturn the advantage.
Apart from the intense rivalry with Ghana on the field of play, the Super Eagles B see this month’s qualifying fixture as an opportunity to regain their pride of place in the hearts of Nigerian ball fans, having missed two consecutive editions of the CHAN.
