U-23 AFCON Qualifiers: Amapakabo Calls Up 33 Players Ahead Libya Clash

Head Coach of the national U23 team, Imama Amapakabo has invited 33 players to camp ahead of next month’s U-23 Africa Cup of Nations (U-23 AFCON) qualifying fixture against Libya, reports Completesports.com.

Amapakabo, the former Enugu Rangers manager who will be assisted by Kennedy Boboye (Assistant Coach), Fidelis Ilechukwu (Assistant Coach) and Etta Egbe (Goalkeepers’ Trainer) listed nine defenders, 10 midfielders and 10 forwards for the assignment.

Tunisia will stage the first leg of the U-23 AFCON qualifier as the Libyans still cannot host international matches in their country due to the civil unrest.

The game will hold between March 20 – 22 in Tunis, with the return leg in Nigeria billed for the 25th of March.

The invited players resumed camping in Abuja on Wednesday.

Nigeria is the defending champion of the U-23 AFCON . The U-23 Eagles defeated Algeria in the final of the second edition of the championship staged by Senegal in December 2015.

That triumph earned the Olympic Eagles a ticket to the Men’s Football Tournament of the Rio 2016 Olympics, where they won the bronze medal – Nigeria’s only medal at the Games.

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Egypt will host the 3rd U-23 AFCON from 8th – 22nd November 2019.

The Full List of Invited Players

Goalkeepers: Amos Benjamin (Bayelsa United); Makanjuola Adewale (Ekiti United); Anozie Chinedu (FC IfeanyiUbah); Stanley Nwabili (Enyimba FC)

Defenders: John Lazarus (Lobi Stars); Chidera Eze (Rangers International); Anumudu Udochukwu (Lobi Stars); Austin Ugochukwu (Kano Pillars); Chinedu Ajana (Katsina United); Kehinde Adeyemi (Sunshine Stars); Ndah Olisah (Remo Stars); Chinwendu Ali (Yobe Stars); Ebube Duru (Lobi Stars)

Midfielders: Ayobami Junior (Shooting Stars); Isah Ndala (Nasarawa United); William Ukeme (Wikki Tourists); Olatunji Matthew (Enyimba FC); Seth Mayi (Plateau United); Yusuf Maigoro (Kano Pillars); Iwuala Anayo (Kada City); Cletus Emotan (Rivers United); Chigozie Obasi (Sunshine Stars); Chukwudi Agor (ASJ, Owerri).

Forwards: Etiboy Akpan (Akwa United); Anas Mohammed (Shooting Stars); Chijoke Alaekwe (FC IfeAFCON Qualibah); Shamman Tanze (Kano Pillars); Agboola Joshua (Katsina United); Wari Williams (Nasarawa United); Ebuka Okeke (Lamray United); Tolu Ojo (Remo Stars); Wasiu Alalade (Enyimba FC); Solomon Nsude (FC IfeanyiUbah).

By Johnny Edward