Five –time champions Nigeria have landed in host nation Brazil for this year’s FIFA World Cup finals which will hold 26th October – 17th November.
A team of 25 players and nine officials flew out of the country through the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja on Wednesday evening for Dubai, where they connected another flight to Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Four players would be cut from the roster after the preparatory period before a 21 –man World Cup squad is unveiled ahead of the opening encounter.
Nigeria won the 1985, 1993, 2007, 2013 and 2015 tournaments, but missed the 2017 finals in India. Head Coach Manu Garba, who led the 2013 winners, is confident that the Class of 2019 is in Brazil to reclaim the trophy.
The early departure will afford the Golden Eaglets a full two-week final preparatory period, before their opening match of the tournament against Hungary in Goiania on 26th October.
Nigeria will then clash with Ecuador (at the same venue on 29th October) and Australia (in Brasilia on 1stNovember) in Group B.
Vitoria is the other city hosting the 24 –nation championship.
FIFA U17 WORLD CUP BRAZIL 2019 GROUPS
GROUP A: Brazil, Canada, New Zealand, Angola
GROUP B: Nigeria, Hungary, Ecuador, Australia
GROUP C: Korea Republic, Haiti, France, Chile
GROUP D: USA, Senegal, Japan, Netherlands
GROUP E: Spain, Argentina, Tajikistan, Cameroon
GROUP F: Solomon Islands, Italy, Paraguay, Mexico
25 EAGLETS IN BRAZIL FOR FIFA U17 WORLD CUP FINALS
Goalkeepers: Sunday Stephen, Joseph Oluwabusola, Daniel Jinadu
Defenders: Charles Etim, Ogaga Oduko, Usman Ibrahim, Clement Ikenna, Shedrack Tanko, Quadri Edun, Oluwatimilehin Adeniyi, Simon Omon
Midfielders: Samson Tijani, Akinkunmi Amoo, Daniel Francis, Ibraheem Jabaar, Ibrahim Sa’id, Monsuru Opeyemi, Fawaz Abdullahi, Idris Eletu-Odibo, Malcolm Ebowei, Peter Agba
Forwards: Olakunle Olusegun, Wisdom Ubani, Divine Nwachukwu, Mayowa Abayomi
PHOTO: The Eaglets departing from Abuja on Wednesday evening
Eagles have full house as training begins in Singapore for Brazil
Three –time African champions Nigeria have full capacity in Singapore as they began training sessions on Thursday ahead of Sunday’s prestige friendly with five –time world champions Brazil.
Stoke City of England’s Oghenekaro Etebo is a late withdrawal from the roster, but all the other 21 players trained on Thursday morning and will train twice on Friday. The official training session will take place on Saturday, with the match scheduled to kick off at 1pm Nigeria time on Sunday.
Technical Adviser Gernot Rohr has opted not to call any more players following the withdrawal of Etebo, and Wednesday’s withdrawal of defender Olaoluwa Aina as a result of injury. The Franco-German already replaced defender Kenneth Omeruo with Tyronne Ebuehi, while Efosa Solomon-Otabor joined the camp following France –based Samuel Kalu’s unavailability.
Solomon-Otabor and forward Peter Olayinka are coming into the Nigeria senior camp for the first time ever while Ebuehi returns for the first time since the 2018 FIFA World Cup finals in Russia.
Former junior international midfielder Ramon Azeez also makes a return, and defenders Abdullahi Shehu and Chidozie Awaziem, as well as midfielder Wilfred Ndidi are back after missing the 2-2 draw with Ukraine in Dnipro last month.
21 EAGLES TO BATTLE BRAZIL
Goalkeepers: Francis Uzoho (Omonia FC, Cyprus); Ikechukwu Ezenwa (Heartland FC); Emil Maduka Okoye (Fortuna Dusseldorf, Germany)
Defenders: Abdullahi Shehu (Bursaspor FC, Turkey); Chidozie Awaziem (CD Leganes, Spain); William Ekong (Udinese FC, Italy); Tyronne Ebuehi (SL Benfica, Portugal); Jamilu Collins (SC Padeborn 07, Germany); Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion, England)
Midfielders: Alexander Iwobi (Everton FC, England); Anderson Esiti (PAOK Salonica, Greece); Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Joseph Ayodele-Aribo (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland); Ramon Azeez (Granada FC, Spain)
Forwards: Victor Osimhen (Lille OSC, France); Moses Simon (FC Nantes, France); Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal FC, Spain); Efosa Solomon-Otabor (PFC CSKA Sofia, Bulgaria); Paul Onuachu (KRC Genk, Belgium); Emmanuel Dennis (Club Brugge, Belgium); Peter Olayinka (SK Slavia Prague, Czech Republic)
