U-23 AFCON: Coach Salisu names Gift Orban and 15 other foreign-based players ahead of Guinea clash

Nigeria, who won the 2015 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations, is seeking to qualify for the fourth iteration of the competition, which will take place in Morocco later this year

Head coach of the Nigeria Under-23 national men’s team, Salisu Yusuf, has named 16 foreign-based players ahead of their clash against Guinea following an age scandal in the team.

The Zaria native earlier called up 30 players to camp ahead of their African Cup of Nations qualifying fixture against their West African neighbour.

But, the 61-year-old was rocked with a big age controversy, as 16 of his 30 initially called-up players reportedly cheated about their ages.

After being compelled to withdraw these individuals from the camp, the team’s head coach has selected a fresh roster of 16 players, all of whom are foreign-based, to replace those who were ordered to leave.

Gift Emmanuel Orban, a hotshot Nigerian attacker who plays for KAA Gent, Chukwudi Goodluck Igbokwe, and team captain Success Makanjuola are at the top of the coach’s new list of invitees.

The Olympic Eagles and their Guinean opponents square off in a first-leg match slated to hold at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja at 4 p.m. on March 22. The second leg is scheduled for the Complexe Sportif Prince Heritier Moulay Al Hassan at 7 p.m. Moroccan time on March 28.

ALL THE INVITED PLAYERS:

Success Makanjuola (FK Liepaja, Latvia); Bello Babatunde (Future FC, Egypt); Isaiah Ejeh (Mjallby Alf, Sweden); Abiodun Ogunniyi (FK Auda, Latvia); Monsuru Opeyemi Abdullahi (FC Vizela, Portugal); Omole Akinyinka Olaoluwakitan (Athletic Newham, UK); Owen Tega Udoh (UD San Sebastian Reyes, Spain); Azeez Temitope Yusuf (Mjallby Alf, Sweden); Charles Uba (Lillestrom FC, Norway); Simon Omon (Clube Operation Desportivo, Portugal); Ihekuna Maximillian Ugochukwu (FC Sfintul Gheorghe Suruceni, Moldova); Chukwudi Goodluck Igbokwe (KAA Gent, Belgium); Abass Saidi (Zagalata FC, Azerbaijan); Ibrahim Buhari (IF Elfsborg, Sweden); Gift Emmanuel Orban (KAA Gent, Belgium); Samuel Amadi (Eramica Cleopatra, Egypt)