Oliseh picks 23 Eagles for African Nations Championship

Head Coach Sunday Oliseh has released the list of 23 players of the Super Eagles B squad who will seek to do Nigeria proud by winning the African Nations Championship title in Rwanda.

Goalkeeper Ikechukwu Ezenwa, defenders Austin Oboroakpo and Chima Akas, Olympic Team midfielders Usman Mohammed and Yaro Bature and forward Chisom Chikatara headline a list that also includes Enyimba FC’s skillful winger Ezekiel Bassey, former junior international Ifeanyi Mathew and the Sunshine Stars’ trio of Paul Onobi, Prince Aggrey and Tunde Adeniji.

Former junior international goalkeeper Femi Thomas, Shooting Stars’ central defender Jamiu Alimi and former Supersand Eagles’ ace Bartholomew Ibenegbu have also been included.

The Eagles B team, alongside technical and backroom staff, flew out of the country on Saturday afternoon to Cape Town, South Africa, where a 10 –day pre-Championship training camp has been arranged, alongside two friendly games against fellow Rwanda –bound Angola and Cote d’Ivoire on January 6 and 11 respectively. Oliseh arrived South Africa ahead of the delegation.

Nigeria’s Super Eagles B finished third at the 3rd African Nations Championship held in South Africa in 2014, and Sunday Oliseh’s invigorated squad aims to win the Cup in Rwanda on February 7.

The Eagles B will campaign in Group C of this year’s championship alongside 2011 winners Tunisia, Niger Republic and Guinea, with matches to be played at the Stade Regional Nyamirambo, Kigali.

Super Eagles Training in Uyo

NIGERIA’S SQUAD FOR CHAN

Goalkeepers: Ikechukwu Ezenwa (Sunshine Stars); Olufemi Thomas (Enyimba FC); Okiemute Odah (Warri Wolves)

Defenders: Austin Oboroakpo (Abia Warriors); Kalu Orji Okogbue (Enugu Rangers); Jamiu Alimi (Shooting Stars); Mathew Etim (Enugu Rangers); Chima Akas (Sharks FC); Stephen Eze (Sunshine Stars); Christopher Madaki Maichibi (Giwa FC); Samson Gbadebo (Lobi Stars)

Midfielders: Ifeanyi Mathew (El-Kanemi Warriors); Paul Onobi (Sunshine Stars); Usman Mohammed (FC Taraba); Yaro Bature (Nasarawa United); Bartholomew Ibenegbu (Warri Wolves); Ibrahim Attah Salau (Shooting Stars)

Forwards: Osas Okoro (Enugu Rangers); Ezekiel Bassey (Enyimba FC); Tunde Adeniji (Sunshine Stars); Bright Onyedikachi (FC IfeanyiUbah); Chisom Chikatara (Abia Warriors); Prince Aggrey (Sunshine Stars)

Oliseh Invites Salami, Akas, 24 Others For CHAN Camp

Head Coach Sunday Oliseh has called 26 players, including forward Gbolahan Salami and defender Chima Akas, for the first phase of preparatory camp ahead of next month’s 4th African Nations Championship in Rwanda.

The Super Eagles B has already been drawn into Group C of the competition alongside Niger Republic, Tunisia and Guinea, with matches to be played at the Stade Regional Nyamirambo in Kigali.

Also called are regulars Kalu Orji, Austin Oboroakpo, Jamiu Alimi (defenders), midfielders Ifeanyi Mathew, Paul Onobi, Usman Mohammed and Bature Yaro, forwards Ezekiel Bassey, Tunde Adeniji, Chisom Chikatara and Prince Aggrey, and goalkeepers Ikechukwu Ezenwa and Olufemi Thomas.

Invited players have been directed to report at the Bolton White Apartments, Wuse Zone 7, Abuja on Monday, 14th December.

Nigeria won the bronze medal at the last African Nations Championship held in South Africa in early 2014. The 4th edition runs between 16th January and 7th February, 2016.

Super Eagles Training in Uyo

THE FULL LIST

Goalkeepers: Ikechukwu Ezenwa (Sunshine Stars); Olufemi Thomas (Enyimba FC); David Obiazor (Heartland FC); Okemute Odah (Warri Wolves)

Defenders: Kalu Orji (Enugu Rangers); Austin Oboroakpo (Warri Wolves); Jamiu Alimi (Shooting Stars); Mathew Etim (Enugu Rangers); Stephen Eze (Sunshine Stars); Chima Akas (Sharks FC); Chris Madaki (Giwa FC)

Midfielders: Ifeanyi Mathew (El-Kanemi Warriors); Paul Onobi (Sunshine Stars); Usman Mohammed (FC Taraba); Bature Yaro (Nasarawa United); Osas Okoro (Enugu Rangers); Bartholomew Ibenegbu (Warri Wolves); Julius Ubido (Heartland FC); Ibrahim Salawa Attah (Shooting Stars); Christian Madu (Enugu Rangers)

Forwards: Ezekiel Bassey (Enyimba FC); Gbolahan Salami (Warri Wolves); Tunde Adeniji (Sunshine Stars); Bright Onyedikachi (FC IfeanyiUbah); Chisom Chikatara (Abia Warriors); Prince Aggrey (Sunshine Stars)

15 Eagles Begin Training In Belgium

The Super Eagles on Monday commenced training for the two international friendlies in Belgium, with 15 players at the R. Battice FC training ground on Monday evening.

England–based midfielder John Mikel Obi led goalkeeper Carl Ikeme, defenders Elderson Echiejile, Efe Ambrose, William Troost-Ekong and Leon Balogun, midfielders Sylvester Igbonu, Rabiu Ibrahim, Ogenyi Onazi and Obiora Nwankwo and forwards Odion Ighalo, Ahmed Musa, Moses Simon, Emmanuel Emenike and Alex Iwobi at training on Monday evening.

Eagles’ Team administrator Enebi Achor informed thenff.com that the team will train twice on Tuesday (10am and 4pm) at the same venue.

Defender Godfrey Oboabona is also having visa issues in Turkey, as his international passport is yet to be released by the Belgian Embassy in that country.

Also, Super Eagles’ officials on ground may need to secure the services of a temporary physiotherapist for massage and medical matters if by Tuesday, the team’s medical crew (part of the delegation that is held up in Abuja) is not issued visas to join the group in Belgium.

Six home-based professionals are in the delegation yet to be issued visas in Abuja. These are goalkeepers Femi Thomas and Ikechukwu Ezenwa, defender Chima Akas and Austin Oboroakpo, midfielder Paul Onobi and forward Prince Aggrey.

The Super Eagles take on the Leopards of Democratic Republic of Congo in Vise, Liege on Thursday before playing the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon in Dendermonde on Sunday.

Oliseh Invites Iwobi For Leopards, Lions

Super Eagles’ Head Coach, Sunday Oliseh, has added Arsenal FC starlet Alex Iwobi to the list of invited players for next month’s friendly internationals against Democratic Republic of Congo and Cameroon in Belgium.

Iwobi, who trained with the Nigeria U-23 squad ahead of an All-Africa Games qualifying return leg match early March 2015, is eligible to represent Nigeria despite featuring for England at youth level.

World football –governing body, FIFA has clarified that the 19–year old can dorn Nigeria’s colour without further ado as he did not feature for England in an official game. The NFF has now received from The Football Association a list of seven matches that Iwobi played for England at youth level, none of which was an official game.

Alex Iwobi of Arsenal U21s on the ball during the game against Fulham.
photo credit: Joshjdss
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/

FIFA underscored that Iwobi can put on the green-white-green since he has permanent Nigerian citizenship and did not represent another association (country) in a match in an official competition.

The Super Eagles play the Leopards of the Democratic Republic of Congo on October 8 and the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon three days later, in Belgium. The winner of the preliminary round between Swaziland and Djibouti will host the Super Eagles on November 9 in a 2018 FIFA World Cup first round qualifier, with the Eagles hosting the return leg in Nigeria eight days later.

All invited players are expected to arrive in Belgium on Monday, 5th October.

Super Eagles during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers Nigeria Training on Sep,1st, 2015 at National Stadium, Abuja
© Kabiru Abubakar/Backpagepix

THE FULL SQUAD

Goalkeepers: Vincent Enyeama (Lille OSC, France); Carl Ikeme (Wolverhampton Wanderers, England); Ikechukwu Ezenwa (Sunshine Stars); Femi Thomas (Enyimba FC)

Defenders: Leon Balogun (FSV Mainz 05, Germany); Abdullahi Shehu (Uniao da Madeira, Portugal); Elderson Echiejile (AS Monaco, France); Chima Akas (Sharks FC); Godfrey Oboabona (Caykur Rizespor, Turkey); William Troost Ekong (FK Haugesund, Norway); Kenneth Omeruo (Kasimpasa SK, Turkey); Austin Oboroakpo (Abia Warriors)

Midfielders: Ogenyi Onazi (SS Lazio, Italy); Paul Onobi (Sunshine Stars); Obiora Nwankwo (Coimbra FC, Portugal); John Mikel Obi (Chelsea FC, England); Rabiu Ibrahim (AS Trencin, Slovakia)

Forwards: Ahmed Musa (CSKA Moscow, Russia); Emmanuel Emenike (Al Ain, UAE); Sylvester Igbonu (FC UFA, Russia); Moses Simon (KAA Gent, Belgium); Victor Moses (West Ham United, England); Odion Ighalo (Watford FC, England); Prince Aggrey (Sunshine Stars); Alex Iwobi (Arsenal FC, England)