Akas leads 32 NPFL All Stars listed for LaLiga tour

Captain of the home-basec Super Eagles, Chima Akas, has been listed alongside 34 other players from the Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) for camping ahead the NPFL All Stars playing tour of the Spanish La Liga.

A statement by the League Management Company (LMC) yesterday indicates that the number of players would be pruned to 22 before the NPFL-LaLiga Tour scheduled for next month.

In the list are four goalkeepers, including Emeka Nwabulu of El-Kanemi Warriors, Enyimba’s Theophilus Afelokhai, Ikechukwu Ezenwa, who recently joined FC IfeanyIubah from Sunshine Stars and Okiemute Odah of Lobi Stars.

There are eight defenders made up of Rangers’ Matthew Etim, Ifeanyi Nweke of MFM, Akas of Enyimba, Gabriel Wassa of Niger Tornadoes and Enyimba’s captain, Chinedu Udoji. Others are Austin Obaroakpo of Abia Warriors, Kano Pillars’ Jamiu Alimi and Emmanuel Ariwa of Akwa United.

The team, to be led by Acting Super Eagles’ Cioach, Salisu Yusuf, has three defensive midfielders, including former U-20 Star, Ifeanyi Ifeanyi of MFM, Dare Ojo of Enyimba and Dayo Ojo of Sunshine Stars, as well as seven central midfielders, comprising Obinna Nwobodo of Enugu Rangers, Otun Fawaz of Shooting Stars, Kano Pillars’ Rabiu Ali, Ibrahim Alhassan of Wikki Tourists, Ifeanyi Matthew of Kano Pillars, Frederick Obomate of Rivers United and Charles Henlong of Kano Pillars.

There are also seven wingers, made up of Heartland’s Emeka Ogbuh, Sikiru Olatubosun of MFM, Chisom Egbuchulam of Rangers, Ezekiel Bassey of Enyimba, Shadrach Oghali of Warri Wolves, Bashir Abdulrahman of Nasarawa United and Bata Mohammed of ElKanemi Warriors, while the centre forwards are Wikki Tourists’ Godwin Obaje, FC IfeanyiUbah’s Ismaila Gata, Anthony Okpotu of Lobi Stars, Ibrahim Mustapha of El- Kanemi Warriors, Abiye Moses of Ikorodu United and Stephen Odey of MFM.

According to the statement, LMC’s Chief Operating Officer, Salihu Abubakar, has in a letter directed the invited players to report for the first phase of camping, which begins on July 11 and ends on July 18. It added that the players during the period would be released to play for their clubs in League and Federation Cup fixtures.

The second and final phase of the camping will open on August 1 leading to the team’s departure on August 8.

“The squad was selected by a poll of coaches of the NPFL carried out to pick players for the different positions. The NPFL All Stars will while in Spain play a pre-season friendly with Valencia CF and also participate in the annual Carranza LaLiga World Club Tournament in which they will play against Malaga CF on August 12 and 13,” the statement said.