10th November, 2020
By Victor Okoye
Super Eagles captain Ahmed Musa, Kelechi Iheanacho and Oghenekaro Etebo were among the early arrivals at the team’s camp in Eterno Hotel in Benin City.
The Super Eagles will take on the Leone Stars at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City on Nov. 13 in a first of two qualifying matches for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The team will then fly to Freetown for the return game on Nov. 17 at the Siaka Stevens Stadium.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) confirmed their arrivals on the team’s official Twitter handle on Monday.
Earlier coach Gernot Rohr raised an alarm that the invited players were facing travelling difficulties due to a new lockdown in some European countries.
The players affected include Daniel Akpeyi, Leon Balogun, Joe Aribo, Jamilu Collins, Semi Ajayi, Zaidu Sanusi, Kevin Akpoguma, Frank Onyeka, Emmanuel Dennis, Samuel Chukwueze, Victor Osimhen and Chidera Ejuke.
The German football tactician said he was, however, hopeful of having the full complement of the 24 players called up by Tuesday.
According to the tweet by NFF, Musa who flew into the country from Saudi Arabia, where he recently parted ways with Al Nassr was a surprise visitor at the camp of the Flying Eagles in Abuja earlier on Monday.
“He charged the team to go do the nation proud at the WAFU 2020 Regional Cup before connecting another flight to Benin.”
Musa was joined by Leicester City of England’s Iheanacho and Etebo from Turkish-based club, Galatasaray.
Other early birds to the team’s camp are goalkeeper Maduka Okoye of Sparta Rotterdam in The Netherlands and KRC Genk of Belgium’s forward Paul Onuachu who was called up to replace the injured Moses Simon.
The Sierra Leoneans, who are booked at the Lush Hotel in Benin City, are expected to fly into Lagos on Wednesday from where they will connect another flight to Benin the same day.