Coach Austin Eguavoen has called up Nigeria Premier Football League veteran Rabiu Ali and 29 other players to camp in preparation for the African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifying tie between Super Eagles B and Ghana.
The eighth edition of the continental championship – reserved exclusively for footballers plying their trade with clubs in their country’s domestic Leagues and possessing standard contracts – is scheduled for February 2025 in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.
Kano Pillars evergreen midfielder Ali, who is in his 40s, has scored eight goals this season, and he is invited alongside Remo Stars goalkeeper Kayode Bankole, Rivers United defender Steven Mayo, and Abia Warriors forward Sunday Megwo.
There are also Enyimba goalkeeper Henry Ozoemena, Remo Stars full-back Ismail Sadiq, Enugu Rangers midfielder Kazeem Ogunleye and Nasarawa United forward Anas Yusuf.
Victor Collins, the Nasarawa United defender called up for last month’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Benin Republic and Rwanda, and Plateau United’s Adamu Abubakar, are also in the squad.
All the invited players have been instructed by the Nigeria Football Federation to arrive at the Remo Stars Sports Institute, Ikenne-Remo, Ogun State on Wednesday, where the team will train ahead of the first leg of the tie against Ghana’s Black Stars B, billed for the Accra Sports Stadium on December 22.
The second leg will take place at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo six days later.
Ghana prevented Nigeria from qualifying for the 2009 and 2023 CHAN editions.
In the qualifiers for the inaugural edition hosted by Cote d’Ivoire, Nigeria took a 2-0 first-half lead in the opening leg in Accra, only to concede three goals in the second half. The return leg in Calabar ended 0-0.
In the qualifiers for the last edition hosted by Algeria, Ghana won 2-0 at home and lost by the same margin in Abuja, but prevailed after a penalty shootout at the MKO Abiola National Stadium.
30 PLAYERS FOR SUPER EAGLES B CAMPING IN IKENNE-REMO
Goalkeepers:
Henry Ozoemena (Enyimba FC); Kayode Bankole (Remo Stars); Nurudeen Badmus (Kwara United)
Defenders:
Ismail Sadiq (Remo Stars); Waliu Ojewole (Ikorodu City); Imo Obot (Enyimba FC); Taiwo Abdulrafiu (Rivers United); Junior Nduka (Remo Stars); Victor Collins (Nasarawa United); Ifeanyi Onyebuchi (Rangers International); Steven Mayo (Rivers United)
Midfielders:
Jide Fatokun (Remo Stars); Rabiu Ali (Kano Pillars); Saviour Isaac (Rangers International); Musa Zayyad (El-Kanemi Warriors); Emmanuel Ogbole (Kwara United); Papa Daniel Mustapha (Niger Tornadoes); Kazeem Ogunleye (Rangers International)
Forwards:
Anas Yusuf (Nasarawa United); Adamu Abubakar (Plateau United); Osy Martins (Lobi Stars); Sikiru Alimi (Remo Stars); Temitope Vincent (Plateau United); Samuel Ogunleye (3SC); Abiam Nelson (Kano Pillars); Meyiwa Oritseweyimi (Bendel Insurance); Ngbemena Ikechukwu (Heartland FC); Sunday Megwo (Abia Warriors); Umar Al-Amin Ibrahim (El-Kanemi Warriors); Adams Aminu Sani (Kano Pillars)
