BRAZIL 2013 Confederations Cup stars, Sunday Mba, Godfrey Oboabona and Azubuike Egwuekwe, are among the 24 players listed by Coach Stephen Keshi for camping ahead of the Confederation of African Football Championship (CHAN) qualifier against Cote d’Ivoire billed for next week. The CHAN is a competition for players based in their home countries and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) says it is doing everything possible to ensure that the country participated in the next edition after missing the two previous editions. Alongside Mba, Egwuekwe and Oboabona are six other Confederations Cup stars, including home-based Eagles Captain, Chigozie Agbim, defenders, Solomon Kwambe and Benjamin Francis, midfielder, Emeka Eze and forward, Muhammad Gambo. Keshi added 14 more players from Nigeria’s top flight and two from the lower division. Returning to the team are goalkeeper, Daniel Akpeyi, defender Kunle Odunlami and striker, Obinna Nwachukwu and Gomo Onduku, who were part of the team’s training camp in Germany ahead of the international friendly with Mexico in Texas, USA. Also invited for the camping are Chibuzor Okonkwo, Umar Zango and Ezekiel Bassey, Ayo Saka and Anthony Okputu. Nigeria Professional Football League top scorer, Dele Olorundare of Sunshine Stars, is joined by former junior international midfielder, Olufemi Oladapo in the list. The new faces in the team are Mohammed Ajia of Bayelsa United, Enyimba FC’s Ifeanyi Edeh, Pius Samson of Ranch Bees, Festus Ajah of Union Bank FC and Warri Wolves’ Etebo Oghene. The players are expected to report at the Bolton White Apartments, Abuja on Sunday. The NFF says the match will be played at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna on Saturday, July 6. “We are happy for the favourable response from the Kaduna State Government, and we have also approached the National Sports Commission (NSC) for permission to use the Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna, for the encounter. “The grass is excellent and the entire facility is so well-maintained . The Super Eagles will find the place comfortable,” NFF General Secretary, Musa Amadu, who was in Kaduna on Monday, said. Meanwhile, The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has appointed Malian official, Mahamadou Keita, as centre referee for the qualifier between Nigeria and Cote d’Ivoire. Keita, 30, became an international referee in 2009. He will be assisted by compatriots Moriba Diakite, 33 (Assistant Referee 1), Nouhoum Bamba, 35 (Assistant Referee 2) and Ousmane Sidibe, 39 (Reserve Referee). The Match Commissioner is Idrissa Sarr, a renowned former FIFA-graded referee from Mauritania. For the return leg in Abidjan on July 27, CAF picked officials from Morocco to take charge, with Noureddine el Jaafari, a 35-year old, who became an international referee only this year, at the centre. He will be assisted by compatriots, Bouazza Rouani, 39 (Assistant Referee 1), Youssef Mabrouk, 38 (Assistant Referee 2) and Khalid Ennouni, 40 (Reserve Referee). The Match Commissioner will be Kossi Adjodo from Togo.
Posted on: Wed, 26 Jun 2013 07:40:05 +0000
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