8th African Nations Championship: Super Eagles B intensifies training for Black Galaxies

Posted : 09 December 2024

Nigeria’s quest for a fourth appearance at the African Nations Championship is being taken seriously by the players invited to the Super Eagles B camp, who continue to sweat it out at the impressive Remo Stars’ Sports Institute in Ikenne-Remo, Ogun State.

A total of 30 players were assembled last week at the state-of-the-art facility as the Eagles prepare for a potentially explosive home-and-away qualifying fixture against the Black Galaxies of Ghana.

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Only the Enyimba FC duo of goalkeeper Henry Ozoemena and defender Imo Obot were excused, as both are seen as pivotal to the People’s Elephant’s ongoing campaign in the group phase of the CAF Confederation Cup. Ozoemena was particularly brilliant in Enyimba FC’s encounter against Zamalek FC of Egypt in Uyo on Sunday, making a dozen big saves that helped the Aba giants earn a 2-2 draw.

Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2009, 2011, 2021, and 2023 finals of the competition, which is exclusively reserved for players plying their trade in the domestic leagues of their countries and possessing permanent contracts.

However, the Super Eagles made appearances in 2014 (in South Africa) and 2018 (in Morocco), where they mounted the podium, winning bronze in the former and silver in the latter. The 2016 campaign in Rwanda ended at the group stage.

Coaches Daniel Ogunmodede and Fidelis Ikechukwu have been working overtime with the players as the countdown begins to the first leg, scheduled for the Accra Sports Stadium on Sunday, Dec. 22.

In two of the four previous instances that the Super Eagles failed to qualify for the competition, which is popularly called CHAN, Ghana was the bogey team.

In the qualifiers for the inaugural edition in Côte d'Ivoire, Nigeria took a 2-0 first-half lead in Accra, only to lose the match 3-2. The return leg at the UJ Esuene Stadium, Calabar, ended scoreless.

In the qualifiers for the most recent edition hosted by Algeria, Ghana won 2-0 at home and lost by the same margin in Abuja, but snatched the ticket after a penalty shootout.

Togo ensured Nigeria’s absence from the 2021 finals, with the Hawks securing a 4-1 win in Togo. A 2-0 victory in Lagos by Nigeria was not enough to overturn the deficit.

Apart from the intense rivalry with Ghana on the field, the Super Eagles B see this month’s qualifying fixture as an opportunity to regain their pride in the hearts of Nigerian football fans, having missed two consecutive editions of the CHAN.

8th African Nations Championship: Super Eagles B intensifies training for Black Galaxies

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