U23 AFCON: Awoniyi, Nwakali, 19 others for title defence

Taiwo Awoniyi

Head coach of Nigeria U23 Eagles, Imama Amapakabo, has named team captain Azubuike Okechukwu, Liverpool loanee Taiwo Awoniyi, Arsenal loanee, Kelechi Nwakali and Orji Okonkwo in his final list of 21 players to defend the U23 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title in Egypt next month.

Nigeria, champions of the second edition of the competition in Senegal four years ago, will seek to retain their title when the third edition of the championship flags off in Cairo on November 8.

The Olympic Eagles are housed in Group B and will contend with Cote d’Ivoire, Zambia and South Africa in that order at the Al Salam Stadium.

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Hosts Egypt head Group A that also has Ghana, Cameroon and Mali with matches to hold at the Cairo International Stadium.

Nigeria’s first match of the campaign is against Cote d’Ivoire on Sunday, November 9.

The top three teams at the eight-nation finals will represent Africa in the men’s Football Tournament of the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, Japan.

Full squad:

Goalkeepers: Adamu Abubakar (Wikki Tourists); Mohammed Galadima (Nasarawa United); Kingdom Osayi (Giant Brillers).

Defenders: Olisah Ndah (Remo Stars); Samuel Atavti (Esperance FC, Tunisia); Valentine Ozornwafor (UD Almeria, Spain); Sincere Seth (Boluspor FC, Turkey); Josiah Chukwudi (Spartak Tranava, Slovakia); Anthony Izuchukwu (Nest Sotra, Norway); Bitok Stephen (FC Isloch, Belarus).

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Midfielders: Sunusi Ibrahim (Nasarawa United); Aliyu Yau Adam (Spartak Jurmala, Latvia); Muyiwa Olabiran (Tambov FC, Russia); Kelechi Nwakali (FC Huesca, Spain); Ndifreke Effiong (Akwa United); Sunday Faleye (Wacker FC, Austria); Tom Dele-Bashiru (Watford FC, England); Azubuike Okechukwu (Basaksehir FC, Turkey)

Forwards: Orji Okonkwo (Bologna FC, Italy); Taiwo Awoniyi (FSV Mainz 05, Germany); Bright Enobakhare (Wolverhampton Wanderers, England).