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Tag: Super Eagles

  • Super Eagles snubbed as favourites to win AFCON

    Super Eagles snubbed as favourites to win AFCON

    President of the Ivorian Football Federation, Yacine Idriss Diallo, has ignored the Super Eagles in his choice of the top three countries he counts to be favourites at the AFCON tournament, Soccernet.ng reports.

    Diallo, 63, became the president of the Federation in October 2022, spearheading the football body in preparation for the biggest football tournament in Africa.

    Speaking to FourFourTwo, the President was optimistic about his country’s performance in the tournament which is set to start in eight days, claiming they are well prepared, but aren’t favourites.

    Despite the attacking prowess the Super Eagles possess, and the recent crowning of Victor Osimhen as the African Player of the Year, Diallo did not include the Nigerian football team as one of his favourites to go all the way in Ivory Coast.

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    “I trust our team, but we know that we are not favourites. The favourites are Morocco, Senegal, Egypt, all those teams. We’re building a new team,” the President said.

    He revealed that the team’s lack of experience might play a huge role in how they perform in the competition, but he expects his team to put up a fight at least.

    “If you see our team now, quite a number of them are very young, it’s their first competition, but we will try to bring a very good squad to be ready. We will try to do our best to go as far as possible and try to win the trophy. This is why we are here.”

    The tournament kicks off on Saturday, 13 January when the hosts will take on Guinea-Bissau at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium in .

  • AFCON 2023: Ipaye tips Super Eagles to shock critics

    AFCON 2023: Ipaye tips Super Eagles to shock critics

    Former Nigeria international Wasiu Ipaye said the Super Eagles may surprise fans by performing well at the 2023 Côte d’Ivoire Africa Nation’s Cup (AFCON) despite shades of doubts by some fans.

    Ipaye, a former defensive midfielder, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

    The former First Bank Football Club player said the exclusion of home based players showed that the handlers of the team did not rate the Nigeria Premier League (NPL) highly.

    “With few days to go, I want to be positive. The boys need the encouragement. In spite of the not so impressive list of selected players I hope we’d all be surprised in a good way.

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    “Personally, I feel the exclusion of home based players may be a de-service. Some of the foreign based players are not even playing in the first division leagues. We place so much emphasis on foreign based players.

    “Look at Egypt, Morocco and Algeria, majority of their players are home based. It’s the way you make your bed that you lie on it. I know the coach has the final say.

    “Look at what Clement Westerhof was able to do with the team. He made it a point of duty to watch our domestic league matches and selected the best talents.

    “Dismissing our home based players is detrimental to the development of football in Nigeria,” he said.

    The Super Eagles, now in Abu Dhabi for a one-week training camp, will later proceed to Abidjan where they will face Equatorial Guinea in the opening Group A match on Jan. 14, and later Côte d’Ivoire, and Guinea-Bissau.

    Super Eagles, three-time champions of the tournament: 1980, 1994, and 2013, hope to win the trophy for the fourth time when the tournament kicks off in January.

  • AFCON 2023: Stage set for Yusuf to shine for Super Eagles

    AFCON 2023: Stage set for Yusuf to shine for Super Eagles

    Alhassan Yusuf has been on the fringes of the Super Eagles setup for some time but has not yet being capped. With the injury-enforced absence of Leicester City’s Wilfred Ndidi at the 2023 AFCON which begins next week in Cote d’Ivoire, the time has come for the Royal Antwerp star midfielder to finally stake his claims in Super Eagles, OLUWAMAYOMIKUN OREKOYA writes.

    The stage is set for Alhassan Yusuf to finally stake a claim in the Nigeria national team. Despite sterling performances as a midfield mainstay for Belgian Champions Royal Antwerp since his move from Sweden in 2021, the Kano state-born versatile midfielder has constantly being overlooked by the Super Eagles handlers, until now.

    The 23-year-old has been called up to replace the injured Leicester City’s Wilfred Ndidi as the Super Eagles put in finishing touches for the preparations for the Africa Cup of Nations to be held in Cote d’Ivoire.

    Because of his impressive passing ability, stamina and diminutive structure, Alhassan has been likened to the French superstar N’Golo Kante and his impressive performances in the heart of the midfield steered The Reds to a brilliant domestic treble last year.

    This season, Alhassan has featured in majority of Royal Antwerp’s First Division A matches, making 15 appearances overall and accumulating over 700 minutes of playing time. He has been selected in the starting 11 in seven of these appearances across their 20 fixtures and been used as a substitute on a further eight occasions.

    He also played a role in every game of Antwerp’s disastrous Champion’s League campaign, starting four games and coming in a substitute in two. He also has a goal and an assist to his name in Europe’s elite football competition.

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    Prior to joining Antwerp in July 2021, Yusuf made 66 league appearances in total at IFK Göteborg, scoring two goals and providing four assists.

    Alhassan started his football journey with FC Hearts when he was still a junior in secondary school and credits the Kano-based grassroot football side for instilling in him everything he knew to become the professional footballer he is today, although, unlike many of his peers from Kano who went to play a part in the National U-17 set-up, Alhassan was never spotted by the Golden Eaglets handlers.

    “I joined FC Hearts when I was in junior secondary school with very little knowledge about football so basically that where I got to know everything about professional football,” Alhassan told NationSport in a previous interview.

    Speaking on why he was never invited to the Golden Eaglets camp, Alhassan said: “Honestly, I am not going give excuses. Probably at that time I was not the kind of player they needed at that moment.”

    While still with FC Hearts, Alhassan was spotted by the Tiki Taka Development Group, a Sweden-based academy with a grassroot setup in Nigeria with the aim to provide coaching infrastructure for young Nigerians to forge a career in European football.

    It was at the Tiki Taka setup that Alhassan got his first taste of football in Europe, the Gothia Cup, one of Europe’s most prestigious youth tournaments which is considered to be the biggest in the world in terms of participating teams and boasts of illustrious alumni like Xabi Alonso, Andrea Pirlo, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Alan Shearer amongst others.

    Alhassan Yusuf can include himself amongst the Cup’s alumni, representing the Tiki Taka Academy twice in the competition and it was in the 2017 edition that Alhassan caught the eyes of IFK Göteborg despite being on the losing side in the final.

    IFK’s sporting director at the time Olle Sultan had been briefed on a young talent playing in the tournament, and upon watching the then 17- year-old Yusuf, offered him a trial.

    Yusuf’s time with Tiki Taka had come to a fulfilling conclusion. With the teenage midfielder moving to Sweden the following year, Tiki Taka had imprinted itself on his footballing and personal development.

    “Tiki Taka played a big role in changing my mentality as a player in the way that I could adapt to European way of playing faster and easier.” Yusuf recalled in an interview with First Time Finish.

    Like many young footballers coming to the much colder regions of Europe for the first time, Alhassan found his first foray to Sweden very difficult but credits his new teammates for making his stay in the Scandinavian country easy to adapt. He added that his never-say-die mind-set prepared him for the challenges ahead.

    “It was difficult because it was my first professional club and also my first time leaving home but my teammates made it really easy for me to adapt really quick

    “I was able to cope because for me it was about mind set, I just put it in my mind that I can do it no matter the circumstances.”

    Away from football, Alhassan revealed to NationSport that he came from a very large family with many brothers and sisters. Like majority of Nigerians, football was his first passion for him and most of the males in his family and he spent his time shuttling between school and the football pitch.

    “Growing up in Kano was nice, there were a lot of people around, I come from a very big family with many brothers and sisters,” he said.

    “Almost all the boys in our family played football but it’s only two of us that actually made it to professional level.

    “Basically growing up was just school and football, nothing more.”

  • Super Eagles’ Camp bubbles in Abu-Dhabi

    Super Eagles’ Camp bubbles in Abu-Dhabi

    • 19 AFCON-bound stars undergo first training
    • NFF confirms Yusuf’s replacement for Ndidi

    The Super Eagles’ preparation for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) holding in Cote d’Ivoire between January 13th and February 11th got underway yesterday in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE) with 19 of the invited 25 players partaking in the first training session.
    The Eagles camping in the capital of the UAE opened on Tuesday but it was yesterday that the camp started to bubble with the arrival of the gladiators who have the task of delivering the fourth title for Nigeria.
    According to the Team’s Media Officer, Babafemi Raji, Samuel Chukwueze and Stanley Nwabali were the last two players to hit camp after Chukwueze played the 90 minutes in AC Milan ‘s 4-1 win over Sassuolo in the Round of 16 of the Coppa Italia played on Tuesday night.
    Nwabali last played for Chippa United in their 2-0 away loss to TS Galaxy on Saturday in the South African Premier League.
    Others that also participated in the first training session were Ahmed Musa, Kenneth Omeruo, Moses Simon, Ojo Olorunleke, Alex Iwobi, Semi Ajayi, Ola Aina, Calvin Bassey and Joe Aribo.
    Frank Onyeka, Bruno Onyemaechi, Chidozie Awaziem, Zaidu Sanusi, Victor Boniface, Raphael Onyedika Nwadike, and Bright Osayi-Samuel are the others who in camp and are intensifying preparations for the AFCON.

    Read Also: AFCON 2023: Peseiro defends Super Eagles’ 25-man list


    Super Eagles are in Group A along with Cote ‘d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea and Guinea Bissau with their first game against Equatorial Guinea on Sunday January 14th in Abidjan.
    Meanwhile and as earlier reported by NationSport, Royal Antwerp midfielder Alhassan Yusuf will now replace the injured Leicester City’s Wilfred Ndidi .
    Ndidi missed his team’s runaway Championship leaders Leicester City’s 4-1 win over Huddersfield Town on Monday due to an unspecified injury.
    Raji disclosed that Ndidi has been replaced by 23-year-old Yusuf, who has been in good form with the Belgian champions.
    Yusuf has yet to be capped by Nigeria but was named in the 40-man provisional squad for the Cup of Nations.
    Ndidi’s Leicester City teammate Kelechi Iheanacho said he hopes to shake off a muscle injury to be available for the competition.
    SUPER EAGLES PLAYERS ALREADY IN CAMP

    1. Ahmed Musa
    2. ⁠Kenneth Omeruo
    3. ⁠Moses Simon
    4. ⁠Ojo Olorunleke
    5. Alex ⁠Iwobi
    6. ⁠Semi Ajayi
    7. Ola ⁠Aina
    8. ⁠Calvin Bassey
    9. Ademola ⁠Lookman
    10. ⁠Joe Aribo
    11. ⁠Frank Onyeka
    12. ⁠Bruno Onyemaechi
    13. ⁠Chidozie Awaziem
    14. ⁠Zaidu Sanusi
    15. ⁠Victor Boniface
    16. ⁠Raphael Onyedika
    17. ⁠Bright Osayi-Samuel
    18. Samuel Chukwueze
    19. Stanley Nwabali
  • Super Eagles can win AFCON, says Frank Onyeka

    Super Eagles can win AFCON, says Frank Onyeka

    Frank Onyeka is upbeat the Super Eagles will lift the 2023 AFCON trophy in Côte d’Ivoire.

    The Brentford FC defensive midfielder, who has been named on a 25-man Super Eagles squad for the tournament, told his club’s website his country has a good team to be African champions again.

    “We want to win it, we have such a good team, such a good squad, so we are going there to win it. That’s the ambition for the players, the coach and the federation. Let’s go there and win it,” he said.

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    Nigeria have won the continental diadem thrice – 1980, 1994 and 2013.

    Nigeria face Equatorial Guinea (14 January), hosts Cote d’Ivoire (18 January) and Guinea Bissau (22 January) in Group A. The delayed 2023 AFCON will take place from January 13 to February 11, 2024.

  • Super Eagles stars celebrate with fans on Christmas

    Super Eagles stars celebrate with fans on Christmas

    The Super Eagles were certainly  in festivity mood  by wishing   fans a happy Christmas celebrations as they get set for next month’s AFCON in Cote d’Ivoire.

    Fulham forward Alex Iwobi took to X to celebrate the special day as he could be seen playing Father Christmas and posing for photos with his parents and sister.

    He also did a giveaway on the platform for fans to win match tickets to a Fulham game and his signed jerseys.

    Official X account of the Super Eagles also featured Kenneth Omeruo, Ola Aina, Bruno Onyemaechi and Raphael Onyedika wishing Nigerians the best festive cheer.

    Read Also: Super Eagles Tracker: Dessers, Onuachu shine for European clubs

    Samuel Chukwueze also played a starring role in a hilarious Milan Christmas video.

    Nathan Tella and Victor Boniface featured in a video by their Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen that also tried to capture the festive season.

    Besides the players in the Premier League, the Belgian and Turkish leagues, who carry on during the Christmas break, the majority of the Super Eagles are already back in Nigeria on a short holiday break before they hit training camp for the 2023 AFCON.

    Officials said they expect the players who made the provisional squad to be in camp in Abu Dhabi by January 2.

    Coach Jose Peseiro will submit a final 27-man squad for the AFCON on January 3.

    They begin their AFCON campaign on January 14 in Abidjan against Equatorial Guinea.

  • Super Eagles Tracker: Dessers, Onuachu shine for European clubs

    Super Eagles Tracker: Dessers, Onuachu shine for European clubs

    Super Eagles attacker Cyriel Dessers got his second assist of the season as Rangers defeated Motherwell 2-0 away to move within two points of league leaders, Celtic in the Scottish Premiership yesterday.

    Dessers with his 15th  league game of the season has six goals with two assists to ensure the Gers consolidate on their second spot on the table with 42 points from 18 games.

    The former Heracles Almero hitman supplied the pass for Rangers’ first goal scored by Kieran Dowell in the fourth minute before Todd Cantwell added the second 11 minutes later.

    Rangers could go a point clear at top before the Old Firm derby fixed for December 30th if they beat Ross County on Wednesday in their remaining outstanding home game.

    The Gers broke Celtic’s monopoly of the Scottish Premiership titles from 2011-12 to 2019-20 season when they won the crown in 2020-21 season with Steven Gerrard in charge.

    Celtic have taken over the mantle again in the past two seasons but the return of Philippe Clement at Rangers has brought about new tidings and are in title race again.

    Away in Turkey, Super Eagles defender, Bright Osayi-Samuel, was in action for Super Lig leaders, Fenerbahce who were held to a goalless draw by second placed Galatasaray in the top fixture of the week.

    Samuel was booked in the 12th  minute, his fifth booking of the season and he will be ineligible for the reverse fixture with the same opponents on December 29th.

    The Nigerian has played 13 games with two goals and an assist.

    Sivasspor pipped Istanbulspor 1-0 without their Nigerian midfielder, Ahmed Musa. Rey Manaj with the only goal in the 86th  minute.

    Trabzonspor striker, Paul Onuachu got an assist as his Turkish Super Lig side drew 1-1 at home to Istanbul Basaksehir.

    Onuachu gave the pass for Batista Mendy in the 34th  minute to get his team back on level terms after Dmitris Pelkas scored for Basaksehir in the 11th  minute.

    Onuachu has played 13 games with eight goals for the Trabzon based team. He was on for 73 minutes.

    Trabzonspor are fourth with 27 points from 16 games.

    In South Africa, Super Eagles invitee, Stanley Nwabali bagged his 14th game of the season but his club, Chippa United were beaten 2-1 at home by Polokwane City.

     Nwabali has kept seven clean sheets as Chippa United are 12th  on the log with 18 points from 15 games.

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    In England, Super Eagles duo of Calvin Bassey and Alex Iwobi both started the game for Fulham who lost 2-0 at the Craven Cottage to Burnley with Wilson Odobert and Sander Berge on the score sheets for the Clarets.

    Bassey got his third yellow card of the season in the 25th minute. He has featured in 13 league games for the Cottagers while Iwobi with three goals has played in 14 league matches.

    Ola Aina was introduced in the 85th  minute in place of Harry Toffolo in Nottingham Forest’s 3-2 home loss to Bournemouth. Aina got his 12th game of the season with a goal.

    In Italy, Ademola Lookman played for 72 minutes in Atalanta 1-0 defeat at Bologna. Lewis Ferguson scored the matchwinner for the home team in the 86th  minute.

     Lookman has 17 games, six goals and three assists while Atalanta are seventh with 26 points from 17 games.

    Super Eagles striker, Isaac Success was introduced in the 78th  minute as Festy Ebosele replacement in Udinese’s 1-1 draw at Torino. Success has played 15 games without any goal yet for his club.

  • Orlando, Sadi offer Super Eagles tips for AFCON glory

    Orlando, Sadi offer Super Eagles tips for AFCON glory

    Former Nigeria International defender John Orlando has urged the current crop of national team players to win laurels including the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) for the country in order to achieve immortality.

    The now 63-year-old Orlando who was 19 as part of the historic Green Eagles squad that won the AFCON for the first time in 1980,noted that the current talented Super Eagles must show their worth by winning trophies.

    In Nigeria last July for the Air Peace Sports Diplomacy Ambassadors Awards, Orlando ,now based in the United States , noted that there is nothing as good as winning trophies , adding winning the AFCON in 1980 remains one of his best moments.

    “ I still follow Nigerian football very well,” the former Shooting Stars defensive stalwart told NationSport. “ It is so disheartening to see the way our professional players play for the Super Eagles without winning anything.

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    “ In our time, we were not professional players but local-based players in Rangers, Shooting Stars and the rest but it’s amazing that we were able to win the nations Cup though we were all based here in Nigeria; which is a great achievement.”

    The Coach Jose Peseiro-led Super Eagles who are bidding for a fourth AFCON title for Nigeria after two other wins at Tunisia 1994 and South Africa 2013 in Cote d’Ivore, are drawn against hosts Cote d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea and Guinea Bissau.

    “ The current generation who are professionals, must do better than us and they must win more laurels for Nigeria, ”he continued.“ They should not be thinking of money all the time; we played with our hearts and not because of money.”

    Speaking on the chances of the Super Eagles at the 2023 AFCON, another former Nigeria International, Dahiru Sadi , said the leadership issue befuddling the team must be addressed.

    “My problem is not about the organization or the motivation but the players themselves,” noted the former NFF technical Committee member. “They should come down and say ‘ they are ready to help their country’ and if they have such attitude, they can beat any team.

    “ With what they are doing now, they lack leadership and it’s high time they realise that leadership is not about age but the most important thing is that experience.

    “ They need leadership in that team ; and the NFF must address that,” he added.

    Colombia 2024 Race: Danjuma calls Folorunsho, Olise, 23 for Burundi

    Head Coach Christopher Musa Danjuma has invited goalkeepers Anderlin Mgbechi and Shukurat Bakare, defenders Oluchi Ohaegbulam and Comfort Folorunsho, midfielders Taiwo Afolabi and Adoo Yina, and forwards Chiamaka Okwuchukwu, Chisom Chima and Aminat Omowunmi Bello among a cast of 25 players for next month’s FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup qualifying fixture against Burundi.

    Also on the roster are FIFA U17 World Cup bronze-medallist goalkeeper Faith Omilana, defenders Jumoke Alani, Emamuzo Edafe and Shukurat Oladipo, as well as midfielders Chinyere Kalu and Chioma Olise, and forwards Opeyemi Ajakaye, Oluwayemisi Samuel and Janet Akekoromowei.

    The invited players are expected to resume camp in the Federal Capital, Abuja on Wednesday, 27th December.

    After reaching the third round of the qualification series without kicking a ball, following the withdrawal of Mauritius, the Falconets edged their counterparts from Tanzania 3-2 on aggregate in the second round last month, setting up a clash with the East Africans who had sent packing from the race, the U20 girls of South Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

    Burundi will host the first leg of the fixture in Bujumbura within the weekend of 12th – 14th January, with the return leg at the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja on Saturday, 20th January.

    The winner of the fixture will reach the last round of the qualification series, with those matches to be played in the month of March 2024.

    ALL THE INVITED PLAYERS:

    Goalkeepers: Kehinde Afuye (FC Robo Queens); Faith Omilana (Naija Ratels); Anderlin Mgbechi (Delta Queens); Shukurat Bakare (Nasarawa Amazons)

    Defenders: Jumoke Alani (Edo Queens); Oluwabunmi Semilore (Naija Ratels); Oluchi Ohaegbulam (Nasarawa Amazons); Shukurat Oladipo (FC Robo Queens); Comfort Folorunsho (Edo Queens); Emamuzo Edafe (Rivers Angels); Rebecca Adegbemile (Delta Queens)

    Midfielders: Taiwo Afolabi (Delta Queens); Chinyere Kalu (Nasarawa Amazons); Aminat Folorunsho (Rivers Angels); Shukurat Shobowale (Nasarawa Amazons); Chioma Olise (Edo Queens); Adoo Yina (Nasarawa Amazons)

    Forwards: Chiamaka Okwuchukwu (Rivers Angels); Aminat Bello (Unattached); Opeyemi Ajakaye (FC Robo Queens); Chiamaka Osuigwe (Edo Queens); Chisom Chima (Bayelsa Queens); Mary Nkpa (Heartland Queens); Janet Akekoromowei (Asisat Academy); Oluwayemisi Samuel (Bayelsa Queens)

  • Super Eagles Tracker: Dessers, Moffi score as Omeruo, Osayi Samuel shine in Europe

    Super Eagles Tracker: Dessers, Moffi score as Omeruo, Osayi Samuel shine in Europe

    Cyriel Dessers scored his seventh league goal of the season as Glasgow Rangers ran away 2-0 winners at home against St. Johnstone to close the gap on Scottish Premier League leaders, Celtic to two points.

    Dessers started from the bench but he was called up for duty in the 16th  minute when he replaced Kemar Roofe who got injured in the 16th  minute.

    The former Feyenoord attacker scored the game’s first goal in the 28th  minute before a late goal from the penalty spot by James Tavernier completed the home win.

    Dessers has notched seven goals from 14 games while Rangers have now moved to 40 points from 17 games and are only two points adrift of Celtic who have played a game more.

    In France, Super Eagles attacker, Terem Moffi returned from injury to score the two goals that fetched OGC Nice a 2-0 home win over RC Lens.

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    Moffi who missed his team’s last game with Le Havre which they lost 3-1, sustained a slight injury in the 2-1 home win over Reims but he recovered more quickly than expected.

    He was brought on in the 73rd  minute as a replacement for Gaetan Laborde when the game was still goalless. He got the first goal of the game in the 76th  minute from the penalty spot before scoring the second goal two minutes later.

    Moffi, who is in the 40-man provisional squad of the Super Eagles for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, has now scored six goals from 15 games.

    His two goals have helped cement Nice second position on the league table with 35 points from  17 games. They are five points behind league leaders, Paris Saint Germain.

    In Turkey, Super Eagles right back Bright Osayi-Samuel was involved for 90 minutes as Fenerbahce returned to the summit of the Super Lig following their 4-3 away win at third placed Kayserispor.

    Former Chelsea striker, Michy Batshuayi scored a sensational hat trick to help Fenerbahce to the win.

    Samuel played his 12th  game of the season with two goals to his credit despite being a defender.

    Fenerbahce are first on the table by goals difference as they and Galatasaray have 43 points each after 16 games.

    In another Super Lig game, Kenneth Omeruo featured in his 15th  game of the season in Kasimpasa’s goaless draw at Antalyaspor. The draw has taken Kasimpasa to the eighth spot on the table with 22 points from 16 games.

  • Super Eagles ready to challenge for 2023 AFCON title

    Super Eagles ready to challenge for 2023 AFCON title

    The newly crowned African footballer of the Year and Napoli of Italy striker Victor Osimhen has declared the readiness of Nigeria’s Super Eagles to challenge for the title at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire. Nigeria are among the 23 countries that will bid to wrestle the title from holders Terangha Lions of Senegal.

    Jose Peseiro’s side will be going for a fourth title in Cote d’Ivoire having won the trophy three times in the past.

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    Osimhen, who was crowned Men’s Player of the Year at the CAF Awards 2023 on Monday in Marrakech, Morocco is optimistic the Super Eagles can beat other teams to the title.

    “We are ready and preparing very well,” Osimhen told CAF Media.

    “The squad is in high spirits. We are raring to go and hope that we shall do well there.”

    The Super Eagles are drawn in Group A with Cote d’Ivoire with Equatorial Guinea and Guinea-Bissau.

    They will face fellow West Africans Equatorial Guinea in their first game at the Alhassan Quattara Stadium, Ebimpe, Abidjan on January 14.