Izuchukwu Okosi
Nigeria U-23 national team head coach Salisu Yusuf on Thursday released his 18-man squad for the U-23 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Tanzania reports Prime Business Africa.
The team is made up of seven foreign-based players and 11 from the domestic league back in Nigeria.
The first leg of the fixtures will hold on Sunday and the return leg next week Saturday in Ibadan with the final tournament scheduled for the Kingdom of Morocco 2nd – 26th November 2023.
The tournament serves as qualifiers for the football event of the 2024 Olympics.
Meanwhile the Nigerian team on Thursday evening departed the shores of the country for Dar es Salam, the Tanzanian capital.
The 18-man U-23 Eagles Team For Tanzania
Isaiah Ejeh (Mjallby,Sweden), Promise David (Sirens FC, Malta), Michael Ologo Inainfe (Istanbulspor, Turkey) and Ogunniyi Oluwatimileyin Abiodun (FK Auda, Latvia).
Others are Adeyemo Oluwapelumi Emmanuel (FC Vizela, Portugal), Success Makanjuola (CD Diocesano,Spain) and Hezekiah Okirikpo (Dundalk FC, Ireland).
The players from the domestic leagues who made the trip are Naziru Auwalu Ibrahim (Enugu Rangers), Munir Idris (Niger Tornadoes), Edidiong Enobong Ezekiel, Qudus Olamilekan Akanni (Remo Stars), Daniel Wotlai Abia Warriors), Christopher Nwaeze (Plateau United), Evans Ogbonda (Akwa United), Nathaniel Nwosu, Dominion Ohaka (Water FC Abuja), Amah John (Box-to-Box FC), Bamayi Calocho (Yum-Yum FC).
The Nigeria Football Federation President Ibrahim Gusau appointed a three-man panel of advisers for preparations of age-grade national teams for upcoming major international competitions including the team assembled by Yusuf who will be hoping to replicate the feat of the all-conquering ‘Dream Team Eagles’ side of 1996 at the Atlanta Olympics.
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.
