International Friendlies: Injury knocks out Bassey as Eagles record full house
The arrival of team captain Wilfred Ndidi, yesterday afternoon, drew the curtain on expected arrivals in the Super Eagles’ nest in Antalya, Turkey ahead of two international friendly matches against Iran and Jordan.
All the 22 expected players joined the team’s first training yesterday evening, after it was confirmed that centre-back Calvin Bassey would not be coming, having pulled out as a result of injury.
Head Coach Eric Chelle would have to make do with the group of 22, as he plots his tactics and strategies for tomorrow’s encounter against Iran. The two countries have met only twice previously at senior level, with Nigeria winning one and the other drawn.
Ahmed Garba scored a second half goal that separated both teams at the Carlsberg Cup in Hong Kong in January 1998, while the two teams’ Group F clash in Curitiba at the 2014 FIFA World Cup finals in Brazil ended scoreless.
Goalkeeper Willy Okpara, defenders Uche Okafor (of blessed memory), Jero Shakpoke, Kingsley Obiekwu, Ganiyu Ajide, Pascal Ojigwe, Henry Onwuzurike, Emmanuel Ebiede, Gabriel Okolosi, Garba and Daniel Amokachi started for Nigeria in Hong Kong.
Tomorrow, Coach Chelle will have a mix of the wise old heads and the ambitious youth to pick from, with 96-cap Alex Iwobi and 95-cap Moses Simon embedded in his squad. There are also captain Wilfred Ndidi, goalkeeper Francis Uzoho and forwards Paul Onuachu and Samuel Chukwueze.
Atletico Madrid’s Ademola Lookman, goalkeeper Maduka Okoye, defenders Semi Ajayi, Bright Osayi-Samuel, Zaidu Sanusi and Bruno Onyemaechi, midfielders Frank Onyeka, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru and Raphael Onyedika, and forwards Akor Adams and Chidera Ejuke are established in the family, but defender Emmanuel Oluwasegun Fernandez and forwards Collins Yira Sor and Philip Otele are stepping into the patio for the first time.
Tomorrow’s clash with Iran’s Team Melli starts at 4.00 pm Turkey time (2.00 p.m. Nigeria time), while the encounter with the Jordan senior men’s team will kick off at 8.00 p.m. Turkey time (6.00 p.m. Nigeria time) on Tuesday, March 31.
The 22 players in the Eagles’ camp in Turkey are goalkeepers Maduka Okoye (Udinese FC, Italy); Adeleye Adebayo (Volos FC, Greece); and Francis Uzoho (Omonia FC, Cyprus), while the defenders are Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (Hull City, England); Bright Osayi-Samuel (Birmingham City, England); Bruno Onyemaechi (Olympiakos, Greece); Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto, Portugal); Igoh Ogbu (Slavia Prague, Czech Republic); and Emmanuel Fernandez (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland).
The midfielders in the squad are Alex Iwobi (Fulham FC, England); Frank Onyeka (Coventry FC, England); Wilfred Ndidi (Besiktas FC, Turkey); Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium); and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (SS Lazio, Italy), with Ademola Lookman (Atletico Madrid, Spain) leading the forwardline, which also has Samuel Chukwueze (Fulham FC, England); Simon Moses (Paris FC, France); Chidera Ejuke (Sevilla FC, Spain); Paul Onuachu (Trabzonspor AS, Turkey); Akor Adams (Sevilla FC, Spain); Philip Otele (Hamburger SV, Germany); and Collins Yira Sor (KRC Genk, Belgium).
