Lobi Stars striker Ossy Martins is reportedly being kept out of the Super Eagles B training camp in Ikenne by an injury while Enyimba duo Imo Obot and Henry Ozoemena won’t join the rest of the squad until the Aba giants CAF Confederation Cup clash against Zamalek on Sunday, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
The home-based Super Eagles began the final phase of training on Wednesday, ahead of the doubleheader 2024 CHAN qualifiers against Ghana later this month, as interim coach Austin Eguavoen rolled out the names of 30 Nigeria Premier Football League stars for the assignment.
To qualify for the 2024 tournament which will be played in February 2025 in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, Nigeria will travel to Accra for the first leg which will be played on Sunday, December with the return leg scheduled for the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo on Saturday, December 28.
However, 27 of the invited 30 players are currently taking part in the full sessions as three others are kept out by injury and logistics.
As per 54footballX, Lobi Stars striker Martins is currently recovering from an injury he sustained on his way to the team’s camp in Ikenne while Enyimba’s duo Obot and Ozoemena are expected on Monday after their club’s continental engagement.
Obot and Ozoemena’s delay is believed to be an agreement between the club, the NFF and the NPFL board as the nine-time champions’ match-day 16 game against Kwara United was also postponed.
Meanwhile, the Super Eagle B have been handed a stern warning ahead of their crucial qualifiers against Ghana, following the Black Galaxies’ commanding performances in their final warmup matches.
Ghana showed their attacking and defensive brilliance in back-to-back victories on Thursday, December 5, 2024, at the GFA Technical Centre.
Mas-Ud Dramani’s side edged Nania FC 1-0 before routing Northern City 5-0, tallying six goals without conceding.
Perhaps the Black Galaxies will draw confidence from their recent dominance, but they also have history against their Nigerian counterparts having denied Nigeria a place at the tournament in 2009 and 2023.
Nigeria’s home-based Eagles have never won the CHAN tournament, finishing third in 2014 before reaching the final in 2018 and losing 4-0 to hosts Morocco.
