2025 AFCON Qualifiers: Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny now a familiar terrain, says captain Ekong

Posted : 13 November 2024

Only Spain-based forward Sadiq Umar was expected as Nigeria’s juggernaut rolled sturdily into the familiar environment of Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny on Tuesday, with 22 players set for the team’s first training session ahead of a potentially explosive Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against neighbors Benin Republic on Thursday.

“We have 22 players, with only one person expected to join the team in the early hours of Wednesday. It has been a particularly great atmosphere here in Abidjan, and we are all very positive going into the first training session ahead of the match,” Coach Augustine Eguavoen said.

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Eleven players, including Captain and AFCON Man of the Competition William Ekong, reigning Africa Player of the Year Victor Osimhen, his likely successor Ademola Lookman, defenders Bright Osayi-Samuel, Olaoluwa Aina, Victor Collins, and Calvin Bassey, midfielders Alex Iwobi and Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi, and Germany-based forward Victor Boniface, all arrived on Tuesday morning. They were later joined by South Africa-based goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali.

Earlier, goalkeeper Maduka Okoye, midfielder Wilfred Ndidi, and forward Kelechi Iheanacho had arrived, joining the eight players who were already in camp on Monday: goalkeeper Amas Obasogie, defenders Gabriel Osho and Bruno Onyemaechi, midfielders Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, Frank Onyeka, and Raphael Onyedika, and forwards Moses Simon and Samuel Chukwueze.

With 10 points from four matches, seven goals for and none against, and sitting at the top of Group D, the Eagles will walk into the Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny with an extra bounce, the same venue where they defeated the aspirations of Guinea-Bissau, Cameroon, and Angola at the 34th Africa Cup of Nations finals in Côte d’Ivoire earlier this year.

It was also the venue where, in the summer, they were defeated 2-1 by the Cheetahs (who, due to a lack of a CAF-approved facility in their country, have adopted Abidjan as their home) in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying match in which they scored first.

“The stadium is a familiar one for us, and we have good memories from the AFCON. We will focus on the positive results we have taken away from here and work hard for another good day in the office on Thursday.

“It is not going to be easy because the Beninoise are also chasing a ticket to the final tournament. However, our objective is clear: three points on the night,” Captain Ekong said on Tuesday.

Senegalese official Issa Sy, who was in charge when the Super Eagles narrowly defeated Angola 1-0 at the same venue in a quarter-final match of the Africa Cup of Nations finals, has been selected by CAF as the referee for Thursday’s encounter, which will commence at 7:00 PM CIV time (8:00 PM Nigeria time).

He will be supported by compatriots Djibril Camara (assistant 1), Nouha Bangoura (assistant 2), and El Hadji Amadou Sy (fourth official). Ivorian Rene Williams Sere will be the commissioner, while Angolan Inacio Manuel Candido will be the referee assessor.

The Super Eagles need only one point from Thursday’s clash to secure a ticket to the 35th AFCON, scheduled for Morocco from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026.

2025 AFCON Qualifiers: Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny now a familiar terrain, says captain Ekong

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