Nigeria’s home-based Eagles have left the country for the United States of America ahead of their international friendly clash against Costa Rica this week, Abbeylivenetwork.com reports.
The three-time African champions will take on Los Ticos on Thursday in an international friendly that will serve as preparation for the Central American’s Qatar 2022 World Cup campaign.
The game, scheduled for the National Stadium in San Jose, will kick off at 8pm Costa Rica time on Wednesday, 9th November (which is 3am, 10thNovember in Nigeria).
A selection of home based players have been sweating it out in Lekan Salami Stadium, Ibadan, Oyo state for past weeks and the team made up of eighteen players and officials.
Yusuf picked goalkeepers Bankole and Nathaniel Nwosu (U23 team first choice), defenders Daniel Bameyi, Chidiebere Nwobodo and Evans Ogbonda, midfielders Nosiru and Qudus Akanni and forwards Sunday Faleye and Edidiong Ezekiel, among others.
The encounter between the two sides will be Nigeria’s first clash against Costa Rica at the international level. It is also one of the two international friendly encounters the three-time African champions have this month.
Foreign based Super Eagles are not part of the friendly due to club commitments.
Meanwhile, the Super Eagles will also face the Portuguese national team in Lisbon on November 17.
However, foreign-based players are expected to be available for the game, with Jose Peseiro expected to name his squad this week.
The match will also be Nigeria’s first meeting against Portugal at the international level. It will also see Peseiro come up against his country of birth.
EAGLES FOR COSTA RICA
Kayode Bankole, Nathaniel Nwosu, Daniel Bameyi, Samuel Kalu, Chidiebere Nwobodo, Mustapha Jibrin, Evans Ogbonda, Afeez Nosiru, Samson Paul, Daniel Wotlai, Ezekiel Edidiong, Dominion Ohaka, Qudus Akanni, Shina Akinniran, Sunday Faleye, Jerry Alex, Isaiah Ejeh, Suleiman Garba
