Nigeria vs Ghana, Mali: No replacement for Osimhen as Tanimo, Yusuf, Ojo swell Super Eagles camp to 16

Sixteen Super Eagles stars have assembled at the Adam Park Hotel base in the bustling Moroccan city of Marrakech ahead of crucial friendlies against Ghana and Mali, Soccernet.ng reports.

The Super Eagles meet for the first time since reaching the final of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire.

Several players who played crucial roles in getting Nigeria a silver medal at the AFCON are missing mostly due to injury, including tournament MVP William Troost-Ekong, Zaidu Sanusi, and Ola Aina.

Napoli striker Victor Osimhen initially made the squad for the games against Ghana and Mali, but he has had to drop out due to injury.
The Nigeria Football Federation has not called up any replacement for the reigning Africa Player of the Year.

However, interim head coach George Finidi has several talented players at his disposal in Morocco.

Among the players currently in camp are goalkeepers Stanley Nwabali and Ojo Olorunleke.

Joining them are Alex Iwobi, Ademola Lookman, Moses Simon, Calvin Bassey, Alhassan Yusuf, and Cyriel Dessers.

Antwerp star Alhassan Yusuf, Tanzania-based Benjamin Tanimo, Club Brugge midfielder Raphael Onyedika, and Real Sociedad forward Umar Sadiq also arrived at camp on Tuesday.

However, the excitement does not end there.

The Super Eagles’ roster is set to swell even further as six more stars, including the likes of Wilfred Ndidi, Frank Onyeka, Kelechi Iheanacho, Chidozie Awaziem, Bright Osayi-Samuel, and Francis Uzoho, are slated to join the squad today (Wednesday) to inject an extra dose of talent and dynamism into the mix.

The stage is set for an epic showdown as the Super Eagles gear up to take on the formidable Black Stars of Ghana at the prestigious Grande Stade de Marrakech on Friday.

Four days later, the Eagles of Mali will test the Super Eagles’ mettle at the same venue.