Nigeria’s Super Eagles camp in Cairo has risen to 24 players following the arrival of newly invited forward Salim Fago Lawal and Nantes defender Chidozie Awaziem, as preparations intensify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, Soccernet.ng reports.
Their arrival leaves just four players yet to report before the squad is completed, with Victor Osimhen, Samuel Chukwueze, Muhammed Usman and Moses Simon all expected to link up with the team in the coming hours.
The Super Eagles are in Egypt for final warm-up activities ahead of AFCON, which kicks off next week in Morocco.
Head coach Eric Chelle oversaw Nigeria’s first training session on Monday evening at the main bowl of the Cairo International Stadium, which marked the formal start of on-field preparations. A second session is scheduled for Tuesday morning at the same venue as the technical crew sharpens tactical and physical plans.
Nigeria will test the level of their readiness later on Tuesday night when they face hosts Egypt in a pre-AFCON international friendly billed for 7pm. Both teams have received permission to make more than five substitutions, a measure designed to allow extensive squad rotation and detailed tactical assessment.
However, Awaziem and Lawal are unlikely to feature in the friendly, with the focus firmly on fitness management and gradual integration.
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Egypt vs Super Eagles: Big names missing as both sides manage workloads
The friendly will go ahead without several of Africa’s biggest stars in what is a controlled warm-up rather than a high-intensity contest.
Egypt and Nigeria will meet in Cairo without Mohamed Salah, Omar Marmoush and Victor Osimhen, all of whom have been ruled out of the final AFCON tune-up.
Egypt will be without Liverpool’s Salah and Manchester City attacker Marmoush, who were rested from training on Monday despite arriving in Cairo. Both players featured in Premier League matches at the weekend, with Salah providing an assist as Liverpool secured a 2-0 win over Brighton.
Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan has opted to carefully manage player workloads ahead of the tournament in Morocco. The Pharaohs will also be without Mahmoud Hassan Trezeguet, who trained but was ruled out of the friendly due to a dental procedure. Midfielder Ibrahim Adel will miss the tie as he continues recovery from an ankle sprain, though he is expected to be fit for Egypt’s AFCON opener against Zimbabwe on December 22.
Nigeria, meanwhile, trained with 22 players on Monday night, with Osimhen, Chukwueze and Simon absent and set to miss the Egypt match. Chelle has all three invited goalkeepers available, with Amas Obasogie, Francis Uzoho and Stanley Nwabali already in camp.
Defensively, the squad has been bolstered by the arrival of Blackburn Rovers defender Ryan Alebiosu, who joins Semi Ajayi, Bright Osayi-Samuel, Zaidu Sanusi, Bruno Onyemaechi and Igoh Ogbu. In attack, Turkish Super Lig top scorer Paul Onuachu has reported for duty, adding to a forward line that includes Ademola Lookman, Chidera Ejuke, Akor Adams and Cyriel Dessers.
Osimhen has departed Turkey and is expected to join the squad later in Morocco, with Chukwueze and Simon also due before the tournament begins. The friendly offers both coaches a final chance to assess squad depth and fitness.
Nigeria will face Tanzania, Tunisia and Uganda in Group C, while Egypt travel to Morocco on Wednesday to complete their preparations.
