Supersand Eagles head coach Audu Adamu has released the names of the 11 players that will represent the country at the African Beach Soccer Cup of Nations holding in Egypt from December 9.
There usual suspects like Ikechukwu Ibenegbu, Isiaka Olawale and few others who had etched their names in gold playing for the Beach Soccer team were absent from the list.
The 11 players are, Victor Tale(who is the skipper of the team and a player of Kogi United), Abu Azeez who is currently unattached, Dami Paul Danjuma(Katsina United), Emeka Ogbonna (Lead United, Lagos), Suleiman Mohammed (Nasarawa United), Emmanuel Ojukwu Titus (Iganmu FC), Idanosi Fayowale (Lead United, Lagos), Emmanuel Owofere (Owobesi FC), Tayo Adams (Owobesi FC), Karimu Ahmed Oladele (Owobesi FC) and Eric Dufegha (Katsina United).
The team which only had three days of intensive preparations for the competition, will face Senegal, Libya and Tanzania on December 9, 10 and 11 in that order in Group B.
According to reports, Adamu said that he had to go with 11 players after one of the players, Joshua Enaholo sustained an injury after his name had already been sent to the CAF.
He also expressed confidence that the players selected will do Nigeria proud in Egypt and grab one of the two tickets to the World Cup slated for Paraguay in November next year.
“We are travelling to Egypt with 11 players after some administrative lapses ensured that we are going to go without Joshua Enahoro who got injured in one of our training sessions,” Adamu said.
“He got injured but our effort to replace him has been unsuccessful. We are going with 11 players including one out and out goalkeeper but we have Emmanuel Ojukwu Titus who is a player and can also deputise as a goalkeeper. We are good to go.
“We know that it is only Senegal that can prove to be our stumbling block because they are the defending champions. We shall try our best to start the competition on a good note against them.”
The Beach Soccer team left for Cairo, Egypt yesterday via Egypt Air and they are expected to continue with the rest of their preparations before their first game on Saturday.
