Follow Us on Google
Emma Njoku
A 23-man squad of Super Eagles landed in the city of Ismailia, Egypt, yesterday evening, 12 days to the kick-off of the championship.
The team travelled alongside their Zimbabwean counterparts, with whom they played a 0-0 draw in a friendly on Saturday, aboard a chartered MAX Air flight from Asaba.
The aircraft refueled at the Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano, before heading towards Ismailia.
Accompanied by Head Coach, Gernot Rohr and the rest of his technical crew and the administrative official, the squad was without Lecester City striker, Kelechi Iheanacho and Rotherham United midfielder, Semi Ajayi, who were dropped from the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Egypt.
Iheanacho’s exclusion from Coach Gernot Rohr’s final list didn’t come as a surprise, having struggled for regular playing time at English Premier League side, Leicester City, in the recently concluded season.
Although Ajayi was a standout performer for Rotherham United in the Sky Bet Championship, he could not displace more experienced players who play at bigger clubs for a place in the Nigerian defense.
The Super Eagles were held to a 0-0 draw by the Warriors of Zimbabwe in a friendly encounter at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba, on Saturday.
The 23 players and their officials jetted out of the country yesterday to Ismaila, Egypt, where they are expected to perfect their strategies for the 32nd edition of Africa Cup of Nations billed to kick off on June 21 in Egypt.
The Super Eagles will face the Teranga Lions of Senegal in their final friendly match at the Ismaila Stadium in Egypt on June 16 before moving to Alexandria where they will play in Group B alongside Madagascar, Burundi and Guinea.
SUPER EAGLES FULL SQUAD
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)
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); Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal FC, Spain).
