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Head Coach of Nigeria’s National U-18 male handball team, Abdulhakim Yakubu, has invited 22 players to camp as preparations intensify for the 22nd African Cadets Men’s Championship in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
The invited players are already in camp in Abuja, where they are undergoing intensive training under the supervision of the technical crew ahead of the continental championship.
Yakubu and his assistants are using the camping programme to improve the players’ fitness, technical abilities, tactical understanding and team cohesion as Nigeria looks to make a strong impression at the tournament.
Nigeria have been drawn in Group B alongside North African sides Tunisia and Algeria, as well as Madagascar.
Group A comprises Egypt, Cameroon and Congo, while Morocco, Libya and Rwanda will compete in Group C. Hosts Côte d’Ivoire are in Group D alongside Guinea, Zambia and Burundi.
The Nigerian squad features players across seven positions, with Shuaibu Fridaymicheal, Shuaibu Muhammad and Lawal Muhammad selected as goalkeepers.
Aliyu Rufai, Sani Muntari, Friday Pagiel and Sulaimon Abayomi Fashogbon are the centre-back options, while Godstime Michael, Usman Umar and Samuel Achama have been listed as left backs.
Huzaifa Abdulkadir, Obieze Akunebu, Gana Abubakar Tauhidi and Muhammed Yahaya make up the right-back department.
On the left wing, Nigeria have Chikelu Chidiebere Divine, Hamza Yahaya, Aminu Dahiru and Abdulrahman Sani, while Umar Mohammed, Abdullahi Abubakar and Zulkifilu Muhammed will operate from the right wing.
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Akibu Muhammad and Dominion Abukhate complete the squad as the two pivots.
Yakubu is assisted by Ayo Joshua, with the coaching crew focused on moulding the invited players into a competitive unit before the team departs for Côte d’Ivoire.
The African Cadets Men’s Championship, organised by the Confédération Africaine de Handball (CAHB), brings together some of the continent’s leading young talents and serves as an important platform for the development of the next generation of African handball players.
Nigeria face a demanding group-stage campaign against Tunisia, Algeria and Madagascar and will hope their preparations in Abuja put them in good shape to compete strongly in Abidjan.
With the players settled in camp, focus is firmly on fine-tuning the squad as Nigeria continue their build-up to the 22nd edition of the continental championship.
Goalkeepers
1 shuaibu Fridaymicheal
2 shuaibu Muhammad
3 lawal Muhammad
Centre-backs
4. Aliyu rufai
5. sani muntari
6. Friday pagiel
7. Sulaimon abayomi Fashogbon
Left Backs
8. Godstime Micheal
9. Usman Umar
10. Samuel Achama
Right Backs
11. Huzaifa abdulkadir
12 Obieze akunebu
13.Gana abubakar TAUHIDI
14 Muhammed yahaya
Left Wings
15. Chikelu Chidiebere Divine
16. Hamza yahaya
17. Aminu dahiru
18. Abdulrahman sani
Right Wings
19.Umar Mohammed
20. Abdullahi abubakar
21. Zulkifilu Muhammed
Pivots
22. Akibu Muhammad
23. Dominion abukhate
Coaches
1 Abdulhakim Yakubu
Head coach
2 Ayo Joshua
Assistant Coach
