By Victor Kanayo
Nigeria Head Coach Augustine Eguavoen has called 35 locally-based players, mostly from the country’s apex league to face Ghana in the upcoming 2025 African Nations Championship qualifying fixture.
The first leg of the fixture, which is a remainder of the qualification series for the last edition of the competition, which Ghana edged on penalty shootout, is billed for the weekend of December 20 to 22, with the return leg a week later.
The winner over two legs will earn a slot at the 8th edition of the competition exclusively reserved for footballers plying their trade in their country’s domestic League.
The finals will take place across Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, from 1st – 28th February 2025.
A statement by the Communications department of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) revealed that the invited players are made up of goalkeepers – Ohisodumeya Osagie (Rivers United); Henry Ozomena (Enyimba FC); Mohammed Galadima (Nasarawa United).
The defenders are Wisdom Ndom (Akwa United); Stephen Mayo (Rivers United); Ifeanyi Onyebuchi (Enugu Rangers); Ismail Sadiq (Remo Stars); Yusuf Isa (Bayelsa United); Abba Maigari (El-Kanemi Warriors); Taiwo Abdulrafiu (Rivers United); Kabiru Mohammed (Kwara United); Junior Nduka (Remo Stars); Victor Collins (Nasarawa United); Abbas Usman (El-Kanemi Warriors).
There are midfielders including Innocent Godwin (Abia Warriors); Jide Fatokun (Remo Stars); Musa Zayad (El-Kanemi Warriors); Saviour Isaac (Enugu Rangers); Eze Ekwutoziam (Enyimba FC); Aimufua Aisosa (Kwara United); Tochukwu Michael (Remo Stars); Ifeanyi Assurance (Lobi Stars); Kazeem Ogunleye (Enugu Rangers); Seth Mayi (Sunshine Stars); Stanley Oganbor (Lobi Stars); Meyiwa Oritseweyimi (Bendel Insurance); Toyeeb Gidado (Ikorodu City).
The forwards are Samuel Ayorinde (Shooting Stars); Anas Yusuf (Nasarawa United); Abdul Sanusi (El-Kanemi Warriors); Sikiru Alimi (Remo Stars); Abubakar Adamu (Plateau United); Rabiu Zikifilu (Kano Pillars); Temitope Vincent (Plateau United); Michael Enaruma (Bendel Insurance).
