A top shot in the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has exclusively reveal that the football house has extended an invitation to Gent of Belgium striker Gift Orban for the U23 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers games against Guinea.
Orban has shot himself into the global attention with 12 goals in just nine games in all competitions since his move to Belgium side Gent from second division Norwegian side Stabæk in January.
Yesterday he grabbed a hattrick in three minutes in the Europa Conference League against Istanbul Basaksehir. His form made waves back home and they were calls for him to be handed a chance with the national team of Nigeria.
Head coach of the Nigeria U23 team Salisu Yusuf shunned the calls to include the 20 year old in his team but the NFF have now decided to take the initiative by calling up the forward for the U23 AFCON qualifiers game in Abuja against Guinea.
” They ( coaches) said they don’t know him and will look at him after the games against Guinea if they make it to the U23 Cup of Nations but we refused. How can you snub a player like that who is eligible for your team? We (NFF) established contacts with his representatives and the club will get a letter of his invitation”, he told OGN.
” He (Orban) will honor the call up because it’s in line with the final international window. We don’t have any concerns plus we have assurance from his agents that he will be available. That kind of form is not one that we will leave for the coaches to decide”, he rounded up saying.
Mohammed Mowiz
