Sports
AFCON Qualifier: Rohr Names Super Eagles Squad
After weeks of speculation, Nigeria Coach, Gernot Rohr, has selected clubless captain Ahmed Musa for his 24-man squad for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
The 28-year-old has been inactive since leaving Saudi Arabian side, Al Nassr in October and debate has already started in the local media as to what role Musa can play for the Super Eagles later this month against Benin and Lesotho.
Rohr had previously announced that only players actively competing in the top flight would be involved in his squad, but appears to have gone against his words.
“Musa has been keeping fit and we hope he can find a club soon,” Rohr had said last month.
Other high-profile inclusions include the England based sextet of Ola Aina of Fulham, Leicester City’s Wilfred Ndidi and Kelechi Iheanacho, Alex Iwobi of Everton, West Brom’s Semi Ajayi and Watford’s William Troost-Ekong, despite concerns over their availability due to UK quarantine rules.
There is a maiden call-up for in-form striker Sadiq Umar, who plays for Almeria in the Spanish second-tier, while top scorer in the Belgian League, Paul Onuachu, (with 25 goals) is on the standby list alongside experienced goalkeeper, Daniel Akpeyi.
Enyimba goalkeeper John Noble is the lone selection from the domestic league.
Joe Aribo and Leon Balogun, who have just been crowned Scottish champions with Rangers, are both included as well.
In search of a win to seal automatic qualification, the Super Eagles travel to Benin on 27 March, as another debate about the option of a round boat trip from Lagos to Porto Novo for the game rages on.
“We’ve not been told this is the option for us but some players are not comfortable travelling on a boat,” one of the European-based players told Tidesport source
“I think we have to wait and see. So far there’s no communication to that effect from the coach or the NFF.”
On the final match day, the West African nation will host Lesotho in the commercial capital city of Lagos on 30 March.
Three-time continental champions Nigeria, currently top Group L on eight points, one ahead of Benin while Sierra Leone has three points and Lesotho two.
Nigeria squad: Goalkeepers: Francis Uzoho (APOEL Nicosia, Cyprus); John Noble (Enyimba FC); Maduka Okoye (Sparta Rotterdam, The Netherlands)
Defenders: Kenneth Omeruo (CD Leganes, Spain); Leon Balogun (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland); Chidozie Awaziem (Boavista, Portugal); William Troost-Ekong (Watford, England); Olaoluwa Aina (Fulham FC, England); Jamilu Collins (SC Padeborn, Germany); Zaidu Sanusi (Porto, Portugal); Tyronne Ebuehi (Twente, The Netherlands)
Midfielders: Oghenekaro Etebo (Galatasaray, Turkey); Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Abdullahi Shehu (Omonia Nicosa, Cyprus); Joseph Ayodele-Aribo (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland); Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion, England)
Forwards: Ahmed Musa (Unattached); Alex Iwobi (Everton, England); Sadiq Umar (Almeria, Spain); Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal, Spain); Victor Osimhen (Napoli, Italy); Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City, England); Samuel Kalu (Girondins Bordeaux, France); Moses Simon (Nantes, France)
Standby: Daniel Akpeyi (Kaizer Chiefs, South Africa); Henry Onyekuru (Galatasaray, Turkey); Peter Olayinka (Slavia Praha, Czech Republic); Terem Moffi (Lorient, France); Paul Onuachu (KRC Genk, Belgium); Michael Olise (Reading, England); Adekunle Adeleke (Abia Warriors)
Nigeria has won the bid to host the next edition of the prestigious All Africa Challenge Trophy in 2026.
The AACT is a biennial continental ladies’ golf championship in Africa that had its inaugural edition in May 1992 in Zimbabwe.
Nigeria hosted the AACT in 1996 at the Ikoyi Club 1938, while in 2010, the AACT was played at the IBB International Golf and Country Club, in Abuja.
This would be the third time Nigeria will be hosting the championship.
Interestingly, the West and Central Africa Challenge Trophy (a regional version of the championship) was held for the first time in Nigeria at the Lakowe Lakes Golf Estates and Resort, Lagos, in 2023.
Evelyn Oyome, the President of the Ladies Golf Association of Nigeria, who was the leader of the Nigerian delegation to the championship’s 16th edition in Morocco, said Nigeria emerged winner amongst the 20 countries that took part in the bidding process.
“Nigeria had earlier hosted the West, Central Africa Challenge Trophy in October last year at the Lakowe Lakes Golf Estate and Resort in Lagos, showcasing its outstanding golfing facilities, with no fewer than 10 countries participating.
“So, hosting that championship successfully last year gave us the edge amongst so many other countries that also bidded and winning was a huge victory for Nigeria,” she said.
Oyome revealed that the Federal Capital Territory would be the host city for the AACT 2026 edition, with no fewer than 30 countries expected to participate in the championship.
Super Eagles B co-handler Fidelis Ilechukwu has revealed that Kano Pillars duo Ahmed Musa and Shehu Abdullahi were initially listed in the 30-man squad for the 2024 CHAN qualifiers double header clash against Ghana, but were dropped over their ineligibility.
Musa and Shehu, who made sensational returns to Kano Pillars this season, were conspicuously missing when the Nigeria Football Federation revealed the names of 30 Nigeria Premier Football League stars for the assignment.
The CHAN Eagles are currently camping in Ikenne, Ogun State. They will play the first leg of their encounter in Accra on Sunday, December 22 before returning to Uyo for the return leg on Saturday, December 28.
“I was told he (Musa) didn’t meet up with the conditions of playing in the CHAN tournament or qualifiers,” Ilechukwu told our correspondent.
“Ahmed Musa was on our list, there is no way we wouldn’t have included him in the list with his performances in the league but they told us to replace him due to eligibility.
When asked if the same applied to Shehu, the coach replied in the affirmative.
According to CAF regulations, only footballers playing in their country of birth are eligible.
While the above rule favours both Musa and Shehu, their participation was perhaps made difficult by another CAF regulation which says, “Only players with a permanent contract registered in a local club affiliated to their national association are eligible to participate in the African Nations Championship” – as both players are in the NPFL under the Elite Player Scheme.
According to section 9.91 of the NPFL Framework and Rules, “There shall be an Elite Player Scheme wherein each Club shall be allowed to register a maximum of two players who in the opinion of the NPFL will add value to the league.”
The Federal Capital Territory is set to host the 2024 Annual General Assembly (AGA) of the Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) on Tuesday, December 17, 2024.
In a statement released yesterday, the Chief Operating Officer, Modupe Shabi, confirmed that all arrangements have been finalised for the AGA, which will take place at Fabino by Toprank Hotels, Abuja.
The AGA meeting promises to be a significant gathering in charting a way forward for the women’s football rising agenda and the women’s football leagues in Nigeria.
Key stakeholders, including board members and representatives of Premiership and Championship clubs, will review the successes and challenges of the outgone 2023/2024 season.
Notably, Edo Queens emerged champions of the NWFL Premiership for the first time, while Honey Badgers and Ibom Angels secured promotion to the Premiership from the NWFL Championship.
The AGM will also focus on sustaining the league’s growing credibility and improving operations while setting the calendar and start date for the 2024/2025 NWFL Premiership and Championship campaigns.
This pivotal meeting aims to further strengthen women’s football in Nigeria and lay the groundwork for the league’s continued growth.
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