Babalola Oluwatomiwa
Social Member
Liverpool player on loan at FSV Frankfurt, Germany, Taiwo Awoniyi and Granada's Isaac Success lead coach Samson Siasia's final 21-man squad for the 2015 U23 African championship which kicks off this weekend in Dakar, Senegal.
The U23 African championship will also also serve as next year’s Rio Olympics games qualifiers.
Coach Siasia selected most of his players from the Nigeria Professional Football League with only four overseas-based professionals.
The pros are strikers Taiwo Awoniyi from German second division side FSV Frankfurt, Junior Ajayi of Tunisian club CS Sfaxien, Isaac success from La Liga side Granada as well as midfielder Azubuike Okechukwu, who is based in Turkey.
Siasia dumbed Kingsley Sokari and the Golden Eaglets player from the U17 FIFA World Cup in Chile.
As many as 12 players on this squad were not at the recent All Africa Games in Congo Brazzaville, where Nigeria’s Dream Team VI placed third at the expense of the host team.
Nigeria will begin their campaign on Sunday against Mali in Mbour.
They will also battle Egypt on December 2 in Mbour and three days later play their final group B match against Algeria in Dakar.
The top three teams will qualify automatically for next year’s Olympics in Rio.
The full squad:
Goalkeepers: Emmanuel Daniel (Enugu Rangers), Yusuf Mohammed (Kano Pillars), Emmanuel Iwu (Heartland)
Defenders: Sincere Seth (Supreme Court FC), Seun Oduduwa (Nath Boys), Zaharadeen Bello (Kano Pillars), Seun Olubayo (Sunshine Stars), Chizoba Amaefule(Dolphins), Ebuka Iroha (Diamond Football Academy)
Midfielders: Ndifreke Effiong (Abia Warriors), Usman Mohammed (FC Taraba),Tiongoli Tobara (Bayelsa United), Bature Yaro (Nasarawa United), Oghenekaro Etebo (Warri Wolves), Azubuike Okechukwu (Yeni Matalatyaspor/Turkey), Godspower Aniefiok (Kano Pillars), Stanley Dimgba (Warri Wolves)
Forward: Kufre Ebong (Warri Wolves),Junior Ajayi (CS Sfaxien/Tunisia), Taiwo Awoniyi (FSV Frankfurt/Germany),Isaac Success (Granada CF/Spain) Africanfootball
Coach Siasia selected most of his players from the Nigeria Professional Football League with only four overseas-based professionals.
The pros are strikers Taiwo Awoniyi from German second division side FSV Frankfurt, Junior Ajayi of Tunisian club CS Sfaxien, Isaac success from La Liga side Granada as well as midfielder Azubuike Okechukwu, who is based in Turkey.
Siasia dumbed Kingsley Sokari and the Golden Eaglets player from the U17 FIFA World Cup in Chile.
As many as 12 players on this squad were not at the recent All Africa Games in Congo Brazzaville, where Nigeria’s Dream Team VI placed third at the expense of the host team.
Nigeria will begin their campaign on Sunday against Mali in Mbour.
They will also battle Egypt on December 2 in Mbour and three days later play their final group B match against Algeria in Dakar.
The top three teams will qualify automatically for next year’s Olympics in Rio.
The full squad:
Goalkeepers: Emmanuel Daniel (Enugu Rangers), Yusuf Mohammed (Kano Pillars), Emmanuel Iwu (Heartland)
Defenders: Sincere Seth (Supreme Court FC), Seun Oduduwa (Nath Boys), Zaharadeen Bello (Kano Pillars), Seun Olubayo (Sunshine Stars), Chizoba Amaefule(Dolphins), Ebuka Iroha (Diamond Football Academy)
Midfielders: Ndifreke Effiong (Abia Warriors), Usman Mohammed (FC Taraba),Tiongoli Tobara (Bayelsa United), Bature Yaro (Nasarawa United), Oghenekaro Etebo (Warri Wolves), Azubuike Okechukwu (Yeni Matalatyaspor/Turkey), Godspower Aniefiok (Kano Pillars), Stanley Dimgba (Warri Wolves)
Forward: Kufre Ebong (Warri Wolves),Junior Ajayi (CS Sfaxien/Tunisia), Taiwo Awoniyi (FSV Frankfurt/Germany),Isaac Success (Granada CF/Spain) Africanfootball