Simply days after Nigeria’s ladies’s workforce, the Tremendous Falcons, received their tenth Girls’s Africa Cup of Nations title, the boys’s home-based workforce, generally known as Tremendous Eagles B, at the moment are set to start their very own journey for continental success.
On Tuesday, Nigeria will face defending champions Senegal of their opening Group D match of the eighth African Nations Championship (CHAN), a contest strictly for gamers who play of their nation’s home leagues.
Nigeria has had combined leads to the event because it started in 2009. The workforce did not qualify for the primary two editions in 2009 and 2011, however went on to win bronze in 2014 beneath the late coach Stephen Keshi. In that memorable run, the workforce got here from 3-0 right down to beat Morocco within the quarter-finals.
They did not progress previous the group stage in 2016, then reached the ultimate in 2018 earlier than dropping to hosts Morocco. Nonetheless, Nigeria missed out on the final two editions, failing to qualify for the 2021 CHAN in Cameroon and the 2023 version in Algeria.
This yr’s competitors, referred to as Pamoja 2024, is being hosted collectively by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda – the primary time three international locations are co-hosting an African soccer occasion. The Confederation of African Soccer (CAF) can also be utilizing the event to check preparations forward of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, which the three international locations will host.
The event options 19 international locations cut up into 4 teams. Group D, the place Nigeria is positioned, has solely 4 groups: Nigeria, Senegal, Congo, and Sudan.
Tremendous Eagles B coach, Eric Sekou Chelle, who additionally manages the senior workforce, believes his 23-man squad is able to compete. The workforce spent three weeks in camp at Ikenne-Remo and one other 10 days in Zanzibar, the place they performed two pleasant matches in opposition to the Zanzibar nationwide workforce – each ending in attracts.
Lots of the gamers who helped Nigeria beat Ghana 3-0 on combination within the qualifiers are nonetheless within the workforce. They embrace goalkeeper Ozoemena Ani, defenders Sodiq Ismaila and Junior Nduka, midfielder Alex Oyowah, and strikers Anas Yusuf and Sikiru Alimi.
The squad additionally options new additions like defenders Steven Mayo and Leonard Ngenge; midfielders Adedayo Olamilekan, Hadi Haruna, and Michael Tochukwu; and forwards Temitope Vincent, Shola Adelani, and Godwin Obaje.
Coach Chelle is aiming for a robust begin when his aspect face Senegal on Tuesday on the 15,000-capacity Amaan Stadium, hoping for a win to spice up confidence earlier than matches in opposition to Sudan and Congo.
In the meantime, joint-host Tanzania received the opening match of the event on Saturday, beating Burkina Faso 2-0 in a Group B conflict on the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam.
Groupings:
- Group A: Kenya, Morocco, Angola, DR Congo, Zambia
- Group B: Tanzania, Madagascar, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic
- Group C: Uganda, Niger Republic, Guinea, Algeria, South Africa
- Group D: Senegal, Congo, Sudan, Nigeria
Nigeria’s Squad for CHAN 2024:
Goalkeepers:
Henry Ozoemena Ani (Enyimba FC), Nurudeen Badmus (Kwara United), Lawal Mustapha (Taking pictures Stars)
Defenders:
Sodiq Ismaila (Remo Stars), Bankole Afeez (Kwara United), Taiwo Abdulrafiu (Rivers United), Uzondu Harrison (Ikorodu Metropolis), Junior Harrison Nduka (Remo Stars), Ngengen Leonard (Ikorodu Metropolis), Steven Mayo Egbe (Rivers United)
Midfielders:
Adedayo Olamilekan, Hadi Haruna, Otaniyi Taofik, Akanni Qudus, Michael Tochukwu, Alex Oyowah (all from Remo Stars or Rivers United)
Forwards:
Anas Yusuf (Nasarawa United), Shola Adelani (Ikorodu Metropolis), Sikiru Alimi (Remo Stars), Temitope Vincent (Plateau United), Ijoma Anthony (Abia Warriors), Godwin Obaje (Rangers Worldwide), Jabbar Malik (Remo Stars)
Nigeria shall be aiming to win their first-ever CHAN title and add one other trophy to their rising listing of achievements in African soccer.
