Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) goal machine Anas Yusuf has been named in Nigeria’s 35-man provisional squad for the upcoming African Nations Championship (CHAN), set to be hosted jointly by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda next month.
Yusuf, who plays for Nasarawa United, finished as the top scorer in the just-concluded 2024/25 NPFL season with 18 goals, and his inclusion in the national team’s home-based selection is seen as a deserved reward for his outstanding form.
|
|
The squad list, released on Friday by Head Coach Eric Chelle, features a blend of experienced and emerging talents from the domestic league.
Joining Yusuf in the Super Eagles B team is team captain Junior Harrison Nduka, as well as midfield enforcer Papa Mustapha Daniel.
|
|
|
|---|
Other notable names on the roster include first-choice goalkeeper Henry Ani, whose commanding presence in goal for Enugu Rangers this past season earned him national attention.
Also called up are defenders Waliu Ojetoye, Ifeanyi Onyebuchi, Mohammed Kabiru, and Uzondu Harrison, all of whom impressed during the league season with consistent performances and defensive solidity.
The midfield options include Saviour Isaac and Haddi Haruna, two players known for their creativity and work rate in the middle of the park.
Up front, alongside Yusuf, the squad boasts attacking threats such as Sunday Megwo, Adamu Abubakar, and Godwin Obaje, all of whom had notable goal contributions in the league.
Also handed invitations are goalkeepers Kayode Bankole and Ebenezer Harcourt, defenders Sodiq Ismaila and Stephen Manyo Egbe, midfielder Adam Aminu, and forwards Atule Joseph and Temitope Vincent.
Coach Chelle, who recently took charge of the home-based Eagles, has placed a strong emphasis on current form and versatility in his selections, noting that the competition will be physically and tactically demanding.
Nigeria, runners-up in the 2018 edition of the tournament, have been drawn in Group D for the 2024 CHAN, a 19-team competition restricted to players who ply their trade in their respective domestic leagues.
The Super Eagles B will face defending champions Senegal, as well as Sudan and Congo in what promises to be a highly competitive group.
Their first two matches, against Senegal and Sudan, will be played at the Amman Stadium on the island of Zanzibar, before the group wraps up with a clash against Congo at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
READ ALSO: Elegbeleye charges NPFL club managers to embrace technology in coaching
All invited players have been directed to report to the Remo Stars Sports Institute in Ikenne-Remo, Ogun State, on Monday, 7 July, with their international passports and valid club licenses for official documentation and the start of training camp.
The CHAN tournament provides a valuable platform for players in domestic leagues across Africa to showcase their talent on the continental stage.
35 PLAYERS FOR SUPER EAGLES B CAMPING IN IKENNE-REMO
Goalkeepers: Henry Ozoemena Ani (Enyimba FC); Kayode Bankole (Remo
Stars); Nurudeen Badmus (Kwara United); Lawal Mustapha (Shooting Stars);
Ebenezer Harcourt (Sporting Lagos)
Defenders: Sodiq Ismaila (Remo Stars); Waliu Ojewole (Ikorodu City);
Bankole Afeez (Kwara United); Taiwo Abdulrafiu (Rivers United); Uzondu
Harrison (Ikorodu City); Junior Harrison Nduka (Remo Stars); Mohammed
Kabiru (Kwara United); Ngengen Leonard (Ikorodu City); Ifeanyi Onyebuchi
(Rangers International); Steven Mayo Egbe (Rivers United)
Midfielders: Adebayo Olamilekan (Remo Stars); Adejoh Ojonugwa (Abia
Warriors); Saviour Isaac (Rangers International); Musa Zayyad (El-Kanemi
Warriors); Haddi Haruna (Remo Stars); Otaniyi Taofik (Rivers United);
Papa Daniel Mustapha (Niger Tornadoes); Adam Aminu (Kano Pillars);
Michael Tochukwu (Remo Stars)
Forwards: Anas Yusuf (Nasarawa United); Adamu Abubakar (Plateau United);
Shola Adelani (Ikorodu City); Sikiru Alimi (Remo Stars); Temitope
Vincent (Plateau United); Ijoma Anthony (Abia Warriors); Atule Joseph
(Enyimba FC); Ayomide Cole (Ikorodu City); Sunday Megwo (Abia Warriors);
Aniekeme Okon (Rivers United); Godwin Obaje (Rangers International)
Discover more from Premium Times Nigeria
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
