2025 CHAN Qualifiers: Augustine Eguavoen ignores Ahmed Musa, invite Rabiu Ali, 29 others for Ghana clash

By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde

The head coach of Nigeria’s national team, Augustine Eguavoen, has invited 30 players to camp ahead of this month’s doubleheader Championship of African Nations (CHAN) qualifiers with Ghana.

Former Super Eagles captain who currently play for Kano Pillars, Ahmed Musa did not make the roster.

His club teammate and evergreen midfielder, Rabiu Ali, who has scored eight goals this season, is among the players called, alongside Remo Stars’ goalkeeper Kayode Bankole, Rivers United defender Steven Mayo, and Abia Warriors’ exciting forward Sunday Megwo.

There are also Enyimba FC goalkeeper Henry Ozoemena, Remo Stars’ wing-back Ismail Sadiq, Enugu Rangers’ midfield ace Kazeem Ogunleye, and Nasarawa United forward Anas Yusuf.

Victor Collins, the Nasarawa United defender called up for last month’s 2025 AFCON qualifying matches against Benin Republic and Rwanda, and Plateau United’s Adamu Abubakar, are also called up.

All the invited players have been instructed to arrive at the Remo Stars Sports Institute, Ikenne-Remo, Ogun State on Wednesday, 4th December 2024, where the team will train ahead of the first leg of the qualification fixture against Ghana’s Black Stars B, billed for the Accra Sports Stadium on Sunday, 22nd December. The second leg will take place at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo on Saturday, 28th December.

The winner of the game on aggregate will qualify for CHAN 2025.

CHAN is a tournament organised by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for home based players with contact with clubs.

Ghana stopped Nigeria from qualifying for the last edition of the tournament.

The team has participated in three of the previous eight tournaments, with their best performance in Morocco 2018, where the host defeated them in the final match.

30 PLAYERS FOR SUPER EAGLES B CAMPING IN IKENNE-REMO

Goalkeepers: Henry Ozoemena (Enyimba FC); Kayode Bankole (Remo Stars); Nurudeen Badmus (Kwara United)

Defenders: Ismail Sadiq (Remo Stars); Waliu Ojewole (Ikorodu City); Imo Obot (Enyimba FC); Taiwo Abdulrafiu (Rivers United); Junior Nduka (Remo Stars); Victor Collins (Nasarawa United); Ifeanyi Onyebuchi (Rangers International); Steven Mayo (Rivers United)

Midfielders: Jide Fatokun (Remo Stars); Rabiu Ali (Kano Pillars); Saviour Isaac (Rangers International); Musa Zayyad (El-Kanemi Warriors); Emmanuel Ogbole (Kwara United); Papa Daniel Mustapha (Niger Tornadoes); Kazeem Ogunleye (Rangers International)

Forwards: Anas Yusuf (Nasarawa United); Adamu Abubakar (Plateau United); Osy Martins (Lobi Stars); Sikiru Alimi (Remo Stars); Temitope Vincent (Plateau United); Samuel Ogunleye (3SC); Abiam Nelson (Kano Pillars); Meyiwa Oritseweyimi (Bendel Insurance); Ngbemena Ikechukwu (Heartland FC); Sunday Megwo (Abia Warriors); Umar Al-Amin Ibrahim (El-Kanemi Warriors); Adams Aminu Sani (Kano Pillars)