The Nigerian national team camp was thrown into jubilation following the arrival of duo goalkeeper Francis Uzoho and defender Ebube Duru in Constantine on Wednesday.
All the invited 24 players were in the Super Eagles camp at the Marriott Constantine, ahead of Nigeria’s international friendly match onTuesday in Oran.
Nigeria champions Rivers United’s left-back Duru was called up following injuries to a number of players, including defender Leon Balogun, and joined the team on Wednesday after returning from Liberia, where the Pride of Rivers reached the penultimate stage of this year’s CAF Champions League preliminary phase.
Team captain Ahmed Musa and forwards Henry Onyekuru and Samuel Chukwueze are the others knocked out by injuries.
The number of national team stars rose from 18 to 21 following the arrival of Atalanta winger Ademola Lookman, Hapoel Jerusalem goalkeeper Adeleye Adebayo, and Portugal-based star Godwin Saviour on Tuesday evening.
Goalkeeper Maduka Okoye, defender Kevin Akpoguma, midfielder Wilfred Ndidi and forward Chidera Ejuke are returning to the squad after some period out, while midfielder Richard Onyedika and forward Godwin Saviour are joining up with the big boys for the first time.
Israel-based keeper Adebayo was in the squad for the AFCON qualifying matches against Sierra Leone and Sao Tome and Principe but did not see action.
Tuesday’s clash will be only the second-ever friendly match between the Fennecs and the Super Eagles, with the two-time African champions edging a clash in Austria in October 2020 by the odd goal.
Hajduk Split defender Chidozie Awaziem was the first player to arrive at the Eagles camp.
Seventeen other Eagles including vice-captain William Troost-Ekong, Nottingham Forest’s Taiwo Awoniyi, and Leicester City’s Wilfred Ndidi later joined Awaziem in Constantine.
The Eagles stars had their first training session on Tuesday under the watchful eyes of the team’s coaching crew.
Lookman, Adebayo, and Saviour walked in to join their international teammates not long after the training session began.
Leicester City forward Iheanacho arrived in Constantine on Wednesday afternoon, marking a return to international duty for Iheanacho, who was not in the Eagles squad that kicked off their Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign against Sierra Leone and Sao Tome and Principe in June.
