Captain Ahmed Musa and striker Paul Onuachu will today join the Super Eagles’ camp in Vienna ahead of Friday’s international friendly against Cameroon.
Despite spate of withdrawal s, many of the invited Super Eagles and as many as 18 players have arrived the team’s camp while they had their first training last night.
Speaking after the team first training session, coach Gernot Rohr expressed optimism that the team is ready to face Cameroon. “We have 18 players in camp now and two will arrive tomorrow (today). We are expecting Paul Onuachu and Ahmed Musa. We are trying to have a good team with 20 players as Cameroon has 26. The training session was ok and the weather was not too hot and I think we can prepare very well against Cameroon,” the German coach said.
He added: “This is a test match as so many players are not here and it is opportunities for us try other players as they have a chance to show something. It is always important to prepare well for the World Cup qualifiers. This is the last opportunity to test ourselves and prepare very well for Liberia and Cape Verde. We want to use this opportunity to be ready for the qualifiers with good team in place.”
Among the players in camp, yesterday were uncapped FC Lorient striker Terem Moffi and Portugal-based Abraham Marcus are already in the Eagles’ camp to justify their invitation by Coach Gernot Rohr.
The three invited goalkeepers – Maduka Okoye, Francis Uzoho and John Noble are in camp while the defensive line led by William Troost-Ekong has Jamilu Collins and Valentine Ozornwafor also in.
Others in camp are Anayo Iwuala, Peter Olayinka, Samson Tijani, Alex Iwobi, Shehu Abdullahi, Wilfred Ndidi, Kelechi Iheanacho, Chidozie Awaziem, and Etebo Oghenekaro.
Among the players that withdrew from the match include Kenneth Omeruo, Sadiq Umar, Frank Onyeka, Victor Osimhen, Semi Ajayi, Kevin Akpoguma, Zaidu Sanusi, Moses Simon, Simy Nwankwo, Ola Aina, and Tyrone Ebuehi.
Nigeria battle Cameroon Friday and four days later, the teams will engage each other at the same venue in readiness for the 2022 World Cup qualifiers in September.
