After missing the opening day activities at the Super Eagles camp in Uyo due to the nationwide strike called by the organised labour in the country, the stranded five national team players touched down in the Akwa Ibom capital yesterday morning to increase the number to 20.
Defenders Semi Ajayi, Bright Osayi-Samuel and Calvin Bassey, alongside midfielder Frank Onyeka and forward Paul Onuachu landed at the Victor Attah International Airport, Uyo just after noon aboard a private jet arranged by the Nigeria Football Federation, and were driven to the team’s Ibom Hotel and Resorts to meet up with team mates in time for lunch.
According to newly appointed Media Officer of the team, Promise Efoghe, the arrival of the quintet brought the tally of players in camp to 20, three days to 2026 World Cup qualifying Match-day 3 battle with South Africa’s Bafana Bafana at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo.
Nigeria and South Africa will go toe-to-toe in a rematch of this year’s Africa Cup of Nations first semi-final, which the Super Eagles trumped 4-2 after penalty shootout at the Stade de la Paix in Bouake.
Three-time African champions Nigeria, who have reached the Round of 16 at the FIFA World Cup on three occasions, missed out on the last houseparty in Qatar, and after a sluggish start to the qualifiers, need all three points on offer to be in strong contention for the only ticket from Group C as the campaign drags on.
Rwanda are surprise leaders of the pool after two matchdays, on four points, with South Africa on three and Nigeria on two.
The 10-match series will end in October next year, with winners of the nine groups qualifying automatically for the finals in Canada, USA and Mexico. The best four second-placed teams in all nine groups will contest a CAF Play-off Tournament, with the winner going ahead to contest a FIFA Play-off Tournament for another slot.
