By Atoyebi Nike
A squad of home-based Super Eagles players and technical staff has departed Nigeria through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, en route to London for their upcoming Unity Cup clash against long-time rivals Ghana.
The match is scheduled for Tuesday, May 27, at Brentford’s Gtech Community Stadium, where the local players will link up with their foreign-based teammates.
Head coach Eric Chelle, in his effort to build squad depth ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, has included several Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) stars. The traveling team features captain Ahmed Musa, Ifeanyi Oyebuchi, Papa Daniel, Nduka Junior, Sadiq Ismaila, Waliu Ojetoye, Collins Ugwueze, Saviour Isaac, Abubakar Adamu, and striker Sikiru Alimi.
“The Unity Cup gives us a valuable chance to test new players in different roles,” Chelle told thenff.com. “It’s also a key step in preparing for the crucial qualifiers coming up later this year.”
The four-nation Unity Cup includes Nigeria, Ghana, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago. Nigeria will face either Jamaica or Trinidad and Tobago in their second match.
Meanwhile, a separate Nigerian team will travel to Moscow for a friendly against Russia on Friday, June 6.
With high stakes and experimentation on the cards, the Unity Cup serves as an important tune-up for Nigeria’s World Cup journey.
PHOTO CREDIT X
