Nigeria’s quest for a fourth appearance at the African
Nations Championship is being taken seriously by players invited to the camp of
the Super Eagles B, who continue to sweat it out at the exquisite Remo Stars’
Sports Institute in Ikenne-Remo, Ogun State.
A total of 30 players were assembled last week at the
impressive facility, as the Eagles prepare for a potentially-explosive
home-and-away qualifying fixture against the Black Galaxies of Ghana.
Only the Enyimba FC duo of goalkeeper Henry Ozoemena
and defender Imo Obot were excused, as the two are seen as pivotal to the People’s
Elephant’s ongoing campaign in the group phase of the CAF
Confederation Cup. Ozoemena was particularly brilliant in Enyimba FC’s
encounter against Zamalek FC of Egypt in Uyo on Sunday, with a dozen big saves
that enabled the Aba giants to earn a 2-2 draw.
Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2009, 2011, 2021 and
2023 finals of the competition exclusively reserved for players plying their
trade in the domestic Leagues of their countries and possessing permanent
contracts. However, appearances in 2014 (in South Africa) and 2018 (in Morocco)
saw the Super Eagles mount the podium, with bronze medals in the former and
silver medals in the latter. The 2016 campaign in Rwanda ended at the group
stage.
Coaches Daniel Ogunmodede and Fidelis Ikechukwu have
been working over-time with the players as the countdown begins to the first
leg, scheduled for the Accra Sports Stadium on Sunday, 22nd December.
In two of the four previous times that the Super
Eagles failed to qualify for the competition popularly called CHAN, Ghana was
the bogey team. In the qualifiers for the inaugural edition in Cote d’Ivoire,
Nigeria took a 2-0 first half lead in Accra, only to eventually lose the match
2-3. The return at the UJ Esuene Stadium, Calabar ended scoreless.
In the qualifiers for the last edition hosted by
Algeria, Ghana won 2-0 at home and lost by the same margin in Abuja, only to
snatch the ticket after a penalty shootout.
Togo ensured Nigeria’s absence from the 2021 finals,
with the Hawks gaining a 4-1 win in Togo. A 2-0 win in Lagos by Nigeria was not
enough to overturn the advantage.
Apart from the intense rivalry with Ghana on the field of play, the Super Eagles B see this month’s qualifying fixture as an opportunity to regain their pride of place in the hearts of Nigerian ball fans, having missed two consecutive editions of the CHAN.
PHOTO 1: Coach Ogunmodede demonstrates for
the players in Ikenne-Remo.
PHOTO 2: The players in rapt attention as
Ogunmodede explains a point.
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