OLISEH INVITES SALAMI, 25 OTHERS FOR HOME BASE AFCON CAMP

Nigeria coach Sunday Oliseh has called 26 players including Nigerian league top scorer Gbolahan Salami for the first phase of camping ahead of the 2016 African Nations Championship billed for Rwanda. The list of

the players was made public on Monday by the Nigeria Football Federation.

The Nigerian team have already been drawn into Group C of the competition alongside Niger Republic, Tunisia and Guinea, with matches to be played at the Stade Regional Nyamirambo in Kigali.

Oliseh also called up many of those that were regulars during the qualifying phase. They are defenders Chima Okas, Kalu Orji, Austin Oboroakpo, Jamiu Alimi, midfielders Ifeanyi Mathew, Paul Onobi, Usman Mohammed and Bature Yaro; forwards Ezekiel Bassey, Tunde Adeniji, Chisom Chikatara and Prince Aggrey, and goalkeepers Ikechukwu Ezenwa and Olufemi Thomas.

Invited players have been directed to report to Abuja on December 14.

Oliseh told The PUNCH on Monday that the camping schedule has fallen into holiday period, there’s provision for a short break at Christmas.

“We will have a Christmas in between,” he said.

 

Nigeria won the bronze medal at the last edition of the competition, which was held in South Africa in 2014. This 4th edition runs between January 16 and February 7, 2016.

The competition is reserved only for players in the domestic leagues of the participating countries.

The list:

Goalkeepers: Ikechukwu Ezenwa (Sunshine Stars), Olufemi Thomas (Enyimba FC); David Obiazor (Heartland FC); Okemute Odah (Warri Wolves)

Defenders: Kalu Orji (Enugu Rangers); Austin Oboroakpo (Warri Wolves); Jamiu Alimi (Shooting Stars); Mathew Etim (Enugu Rangers); Stephen Eze (Sunshine Stars); Chima Akas (Sharks FC); Chris Madaki (Giwa FC)

Midfielders: Ifeanyi Mathew (El-Kanemi Warriors); Paul Onobi (Sunshine Stars); Usman Mohammed (FC Taraba); Bature Yaro (Nasarawa United); Osas Okoro (Enugu Rangers); Bartholomew Ibenegbu (Warri Wolves); Julius Ubido (Heartland FC); Ibrahim Salawa Attah (Shooting Stars); Christian Madu (Enugu Rangers)

Forwards: Ezekiel Bassey (Enyimba FC); Gbolahan Salami (Warri Wolves); Tunde Adeniji (Sunshine Stars); Bright Onyedikachi (FC IfeanyiUbah); Chisom Chikatara (Abia Warriors); Prince Aggrey (Sunshine Stars)