Nigeria/Benin: 20 Super Eagles Hold First Training Session for Cheetahs

CAF
Teranga Lions of Senegal have moved to the top of their group after a narrow victory over Burundi
4 September 2024
Daily Trust (Abuja)
By David Ngobua
  • As Osimhen, Okoye arrive on Thursday

It is almost a full house as 20 Super Eagles out of the 23 players invited to camp for the 2025 AFCON qualifiers against the Cheetahs of Benin Republic and the national team of Rwanda had their first training session yesterday in Uyo.

The three-time African champions will take on the Cheetahs of Benin Republic at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo on Saturday and fly to Kigali on Sunday for Tuesday's Matchday 2 clash with the Amavubi of Rwanda.

According to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), only three players are still being expected at the camp of the Super Eagles.

Captain William Ekong led from the front, arriving on Monday with the earliest birds, which included defenders Ola Aina, Semi Ajayi, and Olisa Ndah, midfielder Fisayo Dele-Bashiru and forwards Ademola Lookman and Taiwo Awoniyi.

Goalkeeper Amas Obasogie and midfielder Wilfred Ndidi were in tow, and forward Victor Boniface and goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali joined in the evening.

Yesterday morning, defender Calvin Bassey and midfielders Alex Iwobi and Frank Onyeka pitched in, before defender Benjamin Tanimu (drafted in place of Bright Osayi-Samuel), midfielder Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi, and forwards Moses Simon and Samuel Chukwueze landed.

In the evening, just before the team bus pulled out of the hotel for training, defender Bruno Onyemaechi (of Portuguese club Boavista) and midfielder Raphael Onyedika (of Belgian side Club Brugge) arrived in camp.

Meanwhile, Sevilla of Spain's new signing, Kelechi Iheanacho will arrive in camp today while goalkeeper Maduka Okoye and forward Victor Osimhen are expected on Thursday.

Invariably, both Osimhen and Okoye will have only one training session before the crucial 2025 AFCON qualifier against Benin Republic.

It will be recalled that after a long drawn transfer saga, Osimhen has joined Turkish giants Galatasaray on loan but expectations are that he will move to a bigger club in Europe in the January transfer window.

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