Stranded Super Eagles Players Arrive in Uyo Ahead of Crucial World Cup Qualifiers
The Super Eagles’ camp in Uyo, the “Nest of Champions,” is now complete after five players who were stranded in Lagos and Abuja due to a labor union strike have arrived. According to a media release by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), the atmosphere around the camp has significantly improved with the arrival of the players.
Defenders Semi Ajayi, Bright Osayi-Samuel, and Calvin Bassey, alongside midfielder Frank Onyeka and forward Paul Onuachu, landed at Victor Attah International Airport, Uyo, just after noon on Tuesday. The NFF arranged a private jet to ferry the players, ensuring they joined their teammates at the Ibom Hotel and Resorts in time for lunch.
Their arrival brings the total number of players in camp to 20, just three days before the crucial Day 3 qualifying match against South Africa’s Bafana Bafana at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Akwa Ibom.
This match is a rematch of this year’s Africa Cup of Nations first semi-final, where the Super Eagles triumphed 4-2 after a penalty shootout at the Stade de la Paix in Bouaké.
Three-time African champions Nigeria, who have reached the Round of 16 at the FIFA World Cup on three occasions, missed out on the last tournament in Qatar. After a sluggish start to the qualifiers, they need all three points to stay in strong contention for the top spot in Group C. Rwanda currently leads the group with four points, followed by South Africa with three and Nigeria with two.
The 10-match series will conclude in October next year. The winners of the nine groups will qualify automatically for the finals in Canada, the USA, and Mexico. The best four second-placed teams will contest a CAF Play-off Tournament, with the winner advancing to a FIFA Play-off Tournament for an additional slot.
