Nigeria’s final preparations for the 32nd Africa Cup of
Nations holding in Egypt begin on Sunday, when invited players, alongside the
technical crew and administrative staff, will start arriving in Asaba, the
Delta State capital.
Nicknamed The Big Heart, Delta
State has eased into the forefront as the nation’s football capital, since
hosting the 2018 AITEO Cup finals and the international friendly between the
Super Eagles and Uganda’s Cranes in November 2018.
Since then, the Super Eagles
have played Seychelles in Asaba in an AFCON qualifier and hosted Egypt in a
friendly, and the city was also the setting for the U23 National Team’s
thrashing of Libya in an U23 AFCON qualifier in March 2019.
On Sunday, the Eagles’ backroom staff are expected to be complete, with
some players also expected, while the larger population of the playing body
should hit town on Monday.
This first phase of camping will also take in a friendly match, against
equally Egypt-bound Warriors of Zimbabwe, at the Stephen Keshi Stadium on
Saturday, 8th June.
Players and officials will travel to the Egyptian city of Ismailia the
following day aboard a chartered flight, where they will stay at the Hotel Mercure
and spend a full week perfecting tactics and strategies, before taking on
Africa’s number one –ranked team Senegal in another friendly in Ismailia.
On 17th January, the three –time champions will travel to
Alexandria – venue of their Group B matches against Burundi, Guinea and
Madagascar.
Technical Adviser Gernot Rohr had invited 25 players to the camp, with
six other players – among them three home –based professionals – on standby.
25 EAGLES FOR AFCON 2019
CAMP
Goalkeepers: Francis Uzoho
(Anorthosis Famagusta, Cyprus); Ikechukwu Ezenwa (Katsina United); Daniel
Akpeyi (Kaizer Chiefs, South Africa)
Defenders: Olaoluwa Aina
(Torino FC, Italy); Abdullahi Shehu (Bursaspor FC, Turkey); Chidozie Awaziem
(Caykur Rizespor, Turkey); William Ekong (Udinese FC, Italy); Leon Balogun
(Brighton & Hove Albion, England); Kenneth Omeruo (CD Leganes, Spain);
Jamilu Collins (SC Padeborn 07, Germany); Semi Ajayi (Rotherham United,
England)
Midfielders: Mikel John Obi
(Middlesbrough FC, England); Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England);
Oghenekaro Etebo (Stoke City FC, England); John Ogu (Hapoel Be’er Sheva,
Israel)
Forwards: Ahmed Musa (Al Nassar
FC, Saudi Arabia); Victor Osimhen (Royal Charleroi SC, Belgium); Moses Simon
(Levante FC, Spain); Henry Onyekuru (Galatasaray SK, Turkey); Odion Ighalo
(Shanghai Shenhua, China); Alexander Iwobi (Arsenal FC, England); Samuel Kalu
(Girondins Bordeaux, France); Paul Onuachu (FC Midtjyland, Denmark); Kelechi
Iheanacho (Leicester City, England); Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal FC, Spain)
Six On Standby: Theophilus Afelokhai
(Enyimba FC); Bryan Idowu (Lokomotiv Moscow, Russia); Ikouwem Utin (Enyimba
FC); Mikel Agu (Vitoria Setubal, Portugal); Junior Ajayi (Al Ahly, Egypt);
Valentine Ozornwafor (Enyimba FC)
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