Afcon 2025: Eagles intensify training as they expect Osimhen, Iheanacho, and Okoye

The Super Eagles observed their first training on Tuesday night ahead of Saturday’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying fixtures against the Cheetahs of Benin Republic.

Twenty players took part in the training held at the practice pitch of the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo.

The session was opened to the media and fans.

Wednesday and Thursday’s sessions will however be behind closed doors.

Three more players, Victor Osimhen, Kelechi Iheanacho, and Maduka Okoye, are still being expected in camp.

Iheanacho is expected in camp on Wednesday, while the duo of Osimhen and Okoye will link up with their teammates on Thursday.

Interim Super Eagles coach, Austin Eguavoen, expressed optimism as the camp bubbles with 20 players ahead of the against the Republic of Benin and Rwanda.

Super Eagles captain, William Troost-Ekong, Atalanta forward Ademola Lookman, England-based quartet Ola Aina, Semi Ajayi, Taiwo Awoniyi, and Wilfred Ndidi, South Africa-based goalkeepers Olisa Ndah and Stanley Nwabali, Bayer Leverkusen Victor Boniface, Lazio Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, and former Bendel Insurance goalkeeper Amas Obasogie, arrived at the camp on Monday.

On Tuesday, Fulham duo Calvin Bassey and Alex Iwobi, Moses Simon, Samuel Chukweuze, Raphael Onyedika, Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi, Bruno Onyemaechi, Frank Onyeka, and Benjamin Tanimu—who replaced injured Bright Osayi-Samuel—joined the team.

Speaking ahead of the first game against Gernot Rohr’s side, Eguavoen, who took charge of the team after German coach Bruno Labbadia, who was announced as the team’s coach last Tuesday, turned down Nigeria’s offer, said he was confident that the Eagles would do well in both games.

“Nigeria is a nation that, in terms of football, a lot of countries respect, and there is no difference in this one,” he said.

“I am very confident that we will scale through these two games and beyond. We have the players, personnel, and support; the only thing we need to remind the players of is that they were almost African champions a few months ago, so what went wrong? They are still the same players; we will do everything we need to do as a technical crew and, of course, as a federation, but they are the ones to rally around.

“I have spoken to them, and we are still going to have a series of meetings, but I am very confident that they will make the nation proud. We will treat Benin with uttermost respect because this is football, where anything can happen, but this is our home.”

The 20 players in camp had their first training session in Uyo on Tuesday evening.

Eguavoen will be assisted by Fidelis Ilechukwu and Daniel Ogunmodede.