Eric Chelle names 35-man provisional squad for CHAN 2024

By Dayo Awoniyi

Nigeria B head coach Eric Chelle has released a 35-man provisional squad ahead of the 8th African Nations Championship (CHAN), which is scheduled to take place next month across Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.

The list features a blend of experience and emerging talent from the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), including team captain Junior Harrison Nduka, prolific forward Anas Yusuf, and first-choice goalkeeper Henry Ozoemena Ani.

The Super Eagles B have been drawn into Group D alongside defending champions Senegal, Sudan, and Congo.

The team will open their campaign at the Amman Stadium in Zanzibar with back-to-back matches against Senegal and Sudan, before facing Congo at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam.

Key Squad Highlights:

• Goalkeepers: Henry Ani (Enyimba FC), Kayode Bankole (Remo Stars), and Nurudeen Badmus (Kwara United) headline the options in goal.

• Defence: Waliu Ojewole, Ifeanyi Onyebuchi, and Mohammed Kabiru feature alongside team captain Nduka.

• Midfield: Saviour Isaac (Rangers) and Haddi Haruna (Remo Stars) provide creativity and control in midfield.

• Attack: Godwin Obaje, Sunday Megwo, and Adamu Abubakar are expected to lead the line.

All invited players have been directed to report to camp at the Remo Stars Sports Institute in Ikenne-Remo, Ogun State, on Monday, July 7, with their international passports and current club licenses.

Below is the full provisional 35-man squad:

Goalkeepers:

• Henry Ozoemena Ani (Enyimba FC)

• Kayode Bankole (Remo Stars)

• Nurudeen Badmus (Kwara United)

• Lawal Mustapha (Shooting Stars)

• Ebenezer Harcourt (Sporting Lagos)

Defenders:

• Sodiq Ismaila (Remo Stars)

• Waliu Ojewole (Ikorodu City)

• Bankole Afeez (Kwara United)

• Taiwo Abdulrafiu (Rivers United)

• Uzondu Harrison (Ikorodu City)

• Junior Harrison Nduka (Remo Stars)

• Mohammed Kabiru (Kwara United)

• Ngengen Leonard (Ikorodu City)

• Ifeanyi Onyebuchi (Rangers International)

• Steven Mayo Egbe (Rivers United)

Midfielders:

• Adebayo Olamilekan (Remo Stars)

• Adejoh Ojonugwa (Abia Warriors)

• Saviour Isaac (Rangers International)

• Musa Zayyad (El-Kanemi Warriors)

• Haddi Haruna (Remo Stars)

• Otaniyi Taofik (Rivers United)

• Papa Daniel Mustapha (Niger Tornadoes)

• Adam Aminu (Kano Pillars)

• Michael Tochukwu (Remo Stars)

Forwards:

• Anas Yusuf (Nasarawa United)

• Adamu Abubakar (Plateau United)

• Shola Adelani (Ikorodu City)

• Sikiru Alimi (Remo Stars)

• Temitope Vincent (Plateau United)

• Ijoma Anthony (Abia Warriors)

• Atule Joseph (Enyimba FC)

• Ayomide Cole (Ikorodu City)

• Sunday Megwo (Abia Warriors)

• Aniekeme Okon (Rivers United)

• Godwin Obaje (Rangers International)

The final squad list is expected to be trimmed to 23 players ahead of the team’s departure for East Africa later this month.

Samuel Ahmadu

Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.

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