Bassey Boost for Eagles as Chelle Aims for Win against Poland Tonight
Duro Ikhazuagbe
Nigeria’s Super Eagles got a boost with the arrival of Fulham defender, Calvin Bassey to camp ahead of today’s international friendly with Poland in Warsaw.
The arrival of the workaholic Bassey to Eagles’ Warsaw Presidential Hotel on Tuesday reassured Head Coach, Eric Chelle, that the three-time African champions will parade an impregnable backline against the White-Reds of Poland.
Bassey’s arrival brought the number of players in camp to 20, and with a good balance of personnel across the sectors of the pitch.
The Fulham defender is likely to partner Semi Ajayi in the centre, with Igoh Ogbu and Emmanuel Fernandez also available.
Germany-based Philip Otele, who shone at the Unity Cup in London, was being expected to hit camp on Tuesday night.
Speaking about the arrival of some of his tested players, Eagles supremo, Eric Chelle, said: “Now, we have a team and we are preparing to go out there and win. Winning is the mentality that we are trying to create in the team, in the players. We will go for a win on Wednesday (today).”
Goalkeeper Maduka Okoye, who arrived in Warsaw on Monday afternoon, immediately joined the team for training and showed excellent form. There is also goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo, who kept a clean sheet in his first two matches for Nigeria as the Eagles won the Unity Cup in London, as well as Cyprus-based Francis Uzoho.
Zaidu Sanusi, league champion with FC Porto in Portugal, and Bruno Onyemaechi will contend for the left back slot, with captain Wilfred Ndidi, Frank Onyeka, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, Tochukwu Nnadi, Raphael Onyedika and youngster Abdullahi Bewene available for the middle of the park.
Moses Simon, Akor Adams, Rafiu Durosinmi, Terem Moffi, Otele and Paul Onuachu (who woke up in Warsaw on Tuesday to learn he has won the Turkish Super Lig Goal of the Season), are the men upfront. Onuachu was in flaming form at training on Monday.
Just as Poland experimented with a number of debutants in their last match (against Ukraine on Sunday), Nigeria also sent out a number of debutants in their last two games as they won the Unity Cup.
Coach Jan Urban may rely principally on in-form winger Jakub Kamiński, who came in as a substitute against Ukraine, but there are also the likes of Oskar Pietuszewski, Mateusz, Żukowski, Norbert Wojtuszek, Kacper Potulski and Oskar Wójcik.
Wednesday’s game will commence at 8.45pm Poland time (7.45pm Nigeria time) at the 58,000 – capacity PGE Narodowy Stadium in Warsaw.
Eagles in Camp in Warsaw:
Goalkeepers: Maduka Okoye (Udinese FC, Italy); Arthur Okonkwo (Wrexham FC, England); Francis Uzoho (Omonia FC, Cyprus)
Defenders: Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (Hull City, England); Calvin Bassey (Fulham FC, England); Bruno Onyemaechi (Olympiakos, Greece); Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto, Portugal); Igoh Ogbu (Slavia Prague, Czech Republic); Emmanuel Fernandez (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland)
Midfielders: Wilfred Ndidi (Besiktas FC, Turkey); Frank Onyeka (Coventry FC, England); Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium); Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (SS Lazio, Italy); Tochukwu Nnadi (Olympic Marseille, France); Abdullahi Ibrahim Bewene (Baník Ostrava, Czech Republic)
Forwards: Moses Simon (Paris FC, France); Paul Onuachu (Trabzonspor AS, Turkey); Akor Adams (Sevilla FC, Spain); Rafiu Durosinmi (Pisa FC, Italy); Terem Moffi (FC Porto, Portugal); Philip Otele (Hamburger SV, Germany)
