Super Eagles’ goalkeepers John Noble and Ikechukwu
Ezenwa, as well as forward Anayo Iwuala top the list of 25 players invited to
camp for next month’s international friendly match between Nigeria and Mexico at
the famous Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in the State of California, United
States of America.
Three –time African champions Nigeria
will clash with the CONCACAF Gold Cup holders on Saturday, 3rd July in what is
part of the Mexican’s MexTour Series that will see them play three matches
before clashing with Nigeria.
Also invited are Rivers’ United ace
defender Ifeanyi Anaemena, Enyimba FC midfielder Ekundayo Ojo and forwards
Ibrahim Olawoyin (Rangers International) and Stephen Jude (Kwara United).
The players are expected to report at
the Serob Legacy Hotel, Wuye, Abuja on Tuesday, 22nd June with their travel
documents. Only 22 of them will travel to the United States of America for the
glamour friendly.
The match, which kicks off at 7.30pm
LA time will be the sixth confrontation between the senior teams of both
countries, four of which have ended in draws. The only win in the series has
gone to Mexico, when they trumped a US Gold Cup encounter in Dallas (State of Texas)
2-1 on 24th June 1995.
Close-fought confrontations include a
1-1 draw at the FIFA Intercontinental Tournament for the King Fahd Cup (now
FIFA Confederations Cup) in Saudi Arabia on 13th January 1995 (Mexico prevailed
5-4 on penalties in the quarter final match), and 0-0 draws in friendly matches
in Houston and Atlanta the previous decade. A friendly game in Mexico also
ended 2-2.
It is expected that the LA Coliseum, a
77,500 –capacity facility that has hosted major international championships of
all all grades, will be at full capacity for the friendly match.
NFF’s FIFA Match Agent, Jairo Pachon
of Eurodata Sport, said while announcing the encounter last month: “We are
happy to be able to announce this match, which is a clash between two very big
teams from two different continents. Mexico against Nigeria is a big match any day
and the venue is class.”
Goalkeepers: Ikechukwu Ezenwa (Heartland FC); John
Noble (Enyimba FC)
Defenders: Olisa Ndah (Akwa United); Adekunle
Adeleke (Abia Warriors);
Tope Olusesi (Rangers International);
Ifeanyi Anaemena (Rivers
United); Christopher Nwaeze (Kwara
United); Enyinnaya Kazie (Rivers
United); Mohammed Zirkiflu (Plateau
United); Imoh Ubot (Enyimba FC);
Tebo Franklin Degaulle (Nasarawa
United); Lawal Oriyomi Murtala (Kwara
United)
Midfielders: Anthony Shimaga (Rangers
International); Seth Mayi (Akwa
United); Uche Nwasonaya (Plateau
United); Samuel Nnoshiri (Katsina
United); Ekundayo Ojo (Enyimba FC)
Forwards: Anayo Iwuala (Enyimba FC); Stephen
Jude (Kwara United);
Ibrahim Olawoyin (Rangers
International); Charles Ashimene (Akwa
United); Chinonso Ezekwe (Rangers
International); Auwalu Ali Malam
(Kano Pillars); Neurot Emmanuel
(Plateau United); Abdulmutalif Sanusi
(Katsina United)
Photo credit:m Poojamedia
0 Comments