The list of players who will represent the senior national team of Nigeria in the dead rubber AFCON qualifiers game against Sao Tome and Principe in Uyo will be made public after this weekend round of games in Europe, OwnGoalNigeria.com understands.
Super Eagles are already through to the Africa Cup of Nations which will take place in Cote d’Ivoire next year with a game to spare, making their final qualifiers game a mere formality.
We gathered that whoever that will be in charge of the team will likely want to use the game which is the last international break, before the start of the qualifiers for the World Cup in November as a test run for new players.
Although there is still no clarity on who will lead the team with talks over extending the deal of the coach of the team Jose Peseiro yet to yield any fruitful outcome. The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) as first reported by this portal will consider Austine Eguavoen, the head of the technical department of the NFF or any of Finidi George or Salisu Yusuf if talks don’t progress as expected with the coach by this weekend.
However, invited players have already received their call up letters. 35 players were provisionally invited from which a final list of 23 will be drawn after this weekend game. Among the players is Gent of Belgium forward Gift Orban.
Orban caused a huge splash in Europe last season following his January transfer move to Gent from second division Norwegian side Stabæk. He ended the season with 20 goals in just 22 games in his six months at the club.
His inclusion was made possible and easy with doubts over the availability of Taiwo Awoniyi of Nottingham Forest, who has carried over his form from last season into this extending his run in front of goal to eight consecutive games.
He had scored in all of the three games they have played this season but reports say he is knocking a slight knock, which will be assessed before a decision will be made on his availability for the game.
Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman
