Salami, Akas in Oliseh’s 26-man list, as camp opens next week

Highest goal scorer in the just concluded Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL), Gbolahan Salami, and Sharks of Port Harcourt defender, Chima Akas, who have featured prominently in the full Super Eagles squad, are among the 26 players invited by Coach Sunday Oliseh for the first phase of preparation for next month’s Fourth African Nations Championship slated for Rwanda.

The Super Eagles B will play in Group C of the competition alongside Niger Republic, Tunisia and Guinea, with matches to be played at the Stade Regional Nyamirambo in Kigali.

Also in the list released yesterday by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) are are regulars Kalu Orji, Austin Oboroakpo, Jamiu Alimi (defenders), midfielders Ifeanyi Mathew, Paul Onobi, Usman Mohammed and Bature Yaro, forwards Ezekiel Bassey, Tunde Adeniji, Chisom Chikatara and Prince Aggrey, and goalkeepers Ikechukwu Ezenwa and Olufemi Thomas.

The NFF directed the invited players to report at the team’s camp located at Bolton White Apartments, Wuse Zone 7, Abuja on Monday.

Nigeria won the bronze medal at the last African Nations Championship held in South Africa in early 2014.

The fourth edition runs between January 16 and February 7, 2016.

The full list of players

Goalkeepers: Ikechukwu Ezenwa (Sunshine Stars); Olufemi Thomas (Enyimba FC); David Obiazor (Heartland FC); Okemute Odah (Warri Wolves).

Defenders: Kalu Orji (Enugu Rangers); Austin Oboroakpo (Warri Wolves); Jamiu Alimi (Shooting Stars); Mathew Etim (Enugu Rangers); Stephen Eze (Sunshine Stars); Chima Akas (Sharks FC) and Chris Madaki (Giwa FC).

Midfielders: Ifeanyi Mathew (El Kanemi Warriors); Paul Onobi (Sunshine Stars); Usman Mohammed (FC Taraba); Bature Yaro (Nasarawa United); Osas Okoro (Enugu Rangers); Bartholomew Ibenegbu (Warri Wolves); Julius Ubido (Heartland FC); Ibrahim Salawa Attah (Shooting Stars) and Christian Madu (Enugu Rangers).

Forwards: Ezekiel Bassey (Enyimba FC); Gbolahan Salami (Warri Wolves); Tunde Adeniji (Sunshine Stars); Bright Onyedikachi (FC IfeanyiUbah); Chisom Chikatara (Abia Warriors) and Prince Aggrey (Sunshine Stars).