Group A AFCON Fixtures
TODAY Ivory Coast v Guinea Bissau 21:00 SUNDAY Nigeria v Equatorial Guinea 18:00 Super Eagles Roll Call GOALKEEPERS Stanley Nwabili (Chippa Utd, S’Africa Francis Uzoho (Omonia FC, Cyprus) Olorunleke Ojo (Enyimba FC, Nigeria)
DEFENDERS
Olaoluwa Aina (Nott’m Forest, England) Chidozie Awaziem (Boavista FC) Bright Osayi-Samuel (Fenerbahce FC) William Troost-Ekong (PAOK Salonika, Bruno Onyemaechi (Boavista FC) Kenneth Omeruo (Kasimpasa FC) Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Brom) Calvin Bassey (Fulham FC, England) Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto, Portugal)
MIDFIELDERS:
Alhassan Yusuf (Leicester City) Raphael Onyedika (Brugge, Belgium); Joe Aribo (Southampton FC, England); Frank Onyeka (Brentford FC, England); Alex Iwobi (Fulham FC, England) Forwards: Ahmed Musa (Sivasspor K) Victor Osimhen (Napoli SC, Italy); Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City) Paul Onuachu (Trabzonspor, Turkey) Moses Simon (FC Nantes, France) Ademola Lookman (Atalanta FC, Italy) Samuel Chukwueze (AC Milan) Terem Moffi (Club Nice) Federation has been notorious for owing players, coaches, and other staff salaries. The Super Eagles’ former coach, Gernot Rohr, had to drag the federation to FIFA before he got paid his outstanding wages.
The players are not left out too, as some of them hardly get their bonuses on time. Nonetheless, the NFF has managed to keep a good relationship with them.
The payment entails the clearing of the senior national team coaches’ salaries running up to 15 months, payments of allowances and promises due to the senior national teams, females, and Under-20 national team.
This move comes at an important time for the Super Eagles, as the AFCON kicks off. This would be a morale booster for Jose Peseiro and his lads going into the competition.
Peseiro’s men will open group play at the 2023 AFCON against the Nzalang Nacional of Equatorial Guinea at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Abidjan, tomorrow, followed by a meeting with hosts Ivory Coast, January 18 and conclude with a game against Guinea Bissau at the iconic Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium, Abidjan on January 22.
The Super Eagles will need an outright win in the game to boost Super Eagles confidence ahead of their big game clash with host, Côte d’Ivoire next Thursday.
Nigeria’s opening game will be live on pay TV channel StarTimes. It promises to air all AFCON 2023 matches live on Sports Premium, channel 252 or 246 and on StarTimes, as well as on StarTimes-ON app.
Aside from winning the Africa Cup of Nations thrice, Nigeria have been third eight times and second four times.
It however remain to be seen if the Eagles can, against all odds, be African champions again in Cote d’Ivoire.