Izuchukwu Okosi
Deputy African champions Nigeria will play the Black Stars of Ghana and the Lea Aigles of Mali in two international friendlies billed for Marrakech, Morocco on March 22 and 26, reports Prime Business Africa.
The Eagles currently without a coach following a dead-end in the contract negotiations with Jose Peseiro was scheduled to play against world champions Argentina on March 26 in Los Angeles but the game was cancelled due to logistical reasons bothering on visa availability for the players.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThe friendlies against the African opposition was facilitated by the Nigeria Football Federation FIFA March Agent, Jairo Pachon of Eurodata Sport.
The NFF have invited 26 players for the ties comprised mostly of the players that prosecuted the 203e Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire.
However making their returns to the team after injury kept them out of the Afcon campaign are Leicester City midfielder Wilfred Ndidi and Real Sociedad striker Sadiq Umar.
Bayer Leverkusen forward Nathan Tella also gets an invitation as well as Turkey-based Fisayo Dele-Bashiru but one of the big stars that missed the Nations Cup due to injury and Tella’s clubmate, Victor Boniface misses out.
The duo of Gabriel Osho (Luton Town, England) and Benjamin Tianimu (Ihefu SC, Tanzania) are set to make their debuts.
Lyon FC forward Gift Orban was once again omitted from the team despite recovering from the injury that barred his international debut last year and since making great strides in his club career.
The game against Ghana is bound to rekindle old rivalry between the West African rivals that dates back to 73 years ago.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
