Month: January 2018

Ahead of the opening match of the 5th edition of the Total African Nations Championship Morocco 2018, the squad list of the 16 participating teams has been finalized as confirmed by CAF.

Nigeria’s 23-man list which arrived in Casablanca, Morocco for the 2018 Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) on Tuesday include;

Goalkeepers: Ikechukwu Ezenwa (Enyimba FC); Oladele Ajiboye (Plateau United); Theophilus Afelokhai (Enyimba FC) 

Defenders: Osas Okoro (Rangers International); Daniel James (Plateau United); Kalu Orji Okogbue (Rangers International); Ikouwem Utin (Enyimba FC); Abdullahi Musa (Wikki Tourists); Timothy Danladi (Katsina United); Ifeanyi Nweke (Kano Pillars); Stephen Eze (Kano Pillars) 

Midfielders: Ifeanyi Ifeanyi (Akwa United); Rabiu Ali (Kano Pillars); Augustine Oladapo (Enyimba FC); Ekundayo Ojo (Sunshine Stars)

Forwards: Emeka Atuloma (Rivers United); Anthony Okpotu (Lobi Stars); Eneji Moses (Plateau United); Ibrahim Mustapha (Enyimba FC); Emeka Ogbuh (Rivers United); Sunday Faleye (Akwa United); Nura Muhammed (El-Kanemi Warriors); Okechukwu Gabriel (Akwa United)

Click here to see the 23-man squad list of the remaining 15 teams for the final tournament scheduled from January 13 to February 4, 2018.

As expected, goalkeeper and skipper Ikechukwu Ezenwa will wear the No 1 jersey for Nigeria at the CHAN tournament, while experienced midfielder Rabiu Ali will wear the No 10, according to the squad numbers for the competition released by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) on Thursday.

Second choice goalkeeper Dele Ajiboye has jersey No 16 and the third goalkeeper on the squad, Theophilus Afelokhai, will have jersey No 23, while NPFL Goal King Anthony Okpotu spots the No 9 shirt at the CHAN.

The full squad numbers

Shirt No. Name Jersey Name Position Birthdate Current Club

1 IKECHUKWU VINCENT EZENWA

2 OSADEBAMWEN MOSES OKORO

3 DANIEL JAMES James

4 EMEKA FRANCIS ATULOMA

5 KALU ORJI OKOGBUE

6 STEPHEN EZE

7 CHUKWUDIEBUBE EMEKA OGBUGH

8 IFEANYI IFEANYI

9 ANTHONY OKPOTU

10 RABIU ALI

11 ENEJI PETER MOSES

12 IKOUWEM UDO UTIN

13 IBRAHIM MUSTAPHA

14 TIMOTHY DANLADI

15 EKUNDAYO SOLOMON OJO

16 OLADELE MUNIRU AJIBOYE

17 IFEANYI SAMUEL NWEKE

18 AUGUSTINE TUNDE OLADAPO

19 ABDULLAHI TAYO MUSA

20 MOHAMMED MOHAMMED NUR

21 SUNDAY ADEYEMI FALEYE

22 OKECHUKWU GABRIEL

23 THEOPHILUS AFELOKHAI

Chelsea Ladies and England striker of Nigerian descent Eniola Aluko is reportedly in advanced negotiations with Paris St-Germain and one other overseas team, according to BBC Sports.

The 30-year-old, who has 102 caps for her country, was involved in a discrimination case against former England manager Mark Sampson last year.

Aluko ‘disappointed’ by lack of support from players

FA pays Aluko second half of settlement

Aluko feels ‘vindicated’ by FA apology

BREAKING NEWS: FA apologise over remarks to Eniola Aluko

Aluko has scored five goals in 10 appearances this season and has five months left on her Chelsea contract. But a fresh start is understood to appeal to her, given her limited starts this season.

Chelsea are currently in the quarter-finals of the Champions League, where they face Montpellier in March, and are second in the Women’s Super League behind Manchester City.

Paris St-Germain are second in the Division 1 Feminine behind leaders and reigning champions Lyon.