AFCON qualifier: Eguavoen hails great atmosphere in Eagles’ camp

Super Eagles interim head coach, Augustine Eguavoen has hailed the atmosphere in the team’s camp in Abidjan ahead of the 2025 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Benin Republic.

Captain William Troost-Ekong, Ademola Lookman, Moses Simon and 19 other players on Tuesday participated in the team’s first training session ahead of the potentially-explosive AFCON qualifying match against neighbours, Benin Republic on Thursday.

Only Spain-based forward, Umar Sadiq is being expected and the Super Eagles are in high spirits. Eguavoen told newsmen that the atmosphere in the Eagles’ camp was great, adding that the players and coaching crew were upbeat and positive ahead of the match.

“We have 22 players, with only one person to join the team in the early hours of Wednesday. It has been a particularly great atmosphere here in Abidjan, and we are all very positive going into the first training session ahead of the match,” he said.

Eleven players, including Captain and AFCON Man of the Competition, Ekong, reigning Africa Player of the Year Victor Osimhen and his likely successor, Lookman all arrived at once on Tuesday morning.

Others are defenders, Bright Osayi-Samuel, Olaoluwa Aina, Victor Collins and Calvin Bassey, midfielders, Alex Iwobi and Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi and Germany-based forward, Victor Boniface.

They were joined later by South Africa-based goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali. Earlier, goalkeeper Maduka Okoye, midfielder Wilfred Ndidi and forward Kelechi Iheanacho had arrived, to join the eight early birds that were in camp on Monday.

The early birds were goalkeeper Amas Obasogie, defenders Gabriel Osho and Bruno Onyemaechi, midfielders Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, Frank Onyeka and Raphael Onyedika, and forwards Moses Simon and Samuel Chukwueze.

With 10 points from four matches, seven goals for and none against and top of their Group D, the Eagles will walk with an extra bounce into the Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny in Abidjan.