By Daily Sports Nigeria on September 3, 2024

Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong, Atalanta forward Ademola Lookman, and England-based quartet Ola Aina, Semi Ajayi, Taiwo Awoniyi, and Wilfred Ndidi are among the early arrivals in the camp for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Benin Republic and Rwanda, The PUNCH  reports.

The players reported at their Uyo camp on Monday, ahead of the two fixtures, which will see the team host the Cheetahs of Benin Republic on September 7 at Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo before facing Amuvabi in Kigali three days later.

According to the media team, only 11 players have arrived in camp as of the time of filing this report, with more players expected to join camp before Tuesday morning.

Troost-Ekong, who recently joined Saudi Pro League club Al-Kholood, Lookman, Nottingham Forest duo Aina and Awoniyi, Ndidi, and South Africa-based goalkeeper Olisa Ndah and Ajayi are among the early birds in the Eagles camp.

Also in camp are Bayer Leverkusen Victor Boniface, South Africa-based goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali, Lazio Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, and former Bendel Insurance goalkeeper Amas Obasogie.

Still expected in Uyo are unsettled Napoli striker Victor Osimhen, Fulham duo Calvin Bassey and Alex Iwobi, Moses Simon, Samuel Chukweuze, Maduka Okoye, Raphael Onyedika, and Kelechi Iheanacho.

Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi, Bright Osayi-Samuel, Bruno Onyemaechi, and Frank Onyeka are all also expected to arrive shortly.

Captain Troost-Ekong is making a return to the squad, having not featured for the three-time African champions since the final of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations against Ivory Coast in February.

Awoniyi and Aina are also staging a return after missing the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against South Africa and Benin last month and the friendly games against Mali and Ghana in March.

Meanwhile, Ndah is getting his first invitation since participating in the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations third group game against Guinea-Bissau.

The team will be led by NFF’s Technical Director, Augustine Eguavoen, after German coach Bruno Labbadia, who was announced as the team’s coach last Tuesday, turned down Nigeria’s offer.

He will be assisted by Fidelis Ilechukwu and Daniel Ogunmodede following confirmation by the Director of Communications of the Nigeria Football Federation, Ademola Olajire, in a statement on Monday.

After a second-place finish in Ivory Coast earlier this year, the road to another showpiece, which will be played in Morocco from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026, begins for Nigeria against Benin Republic on Saturday, September 7, while they will face Rwanda three days later in Kigali.

Source Punch Ng

Posted September 3, 2024

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