By Rosemary Ugiomoh
Head coach Eric Chelle says Nigeria’s Super Eagles are going all out for victory in today’s friendly against Poland’s White-Reds. He was speaking Tuesday in Warsaw after welcoming defender Calvin Bassey to the team’s base at the Presidential Hotel.
Bassey’s arrival took the camp up to 20 players, giving Chelle a full, balanced squad across all positions. In defense especially, he now has options — Bassey can pair with fired-up Semi Ajayi at center back, while Igoh Ogbu and Emmanuel Fernandez are also in the mix.
“We finally have a full team and we’re gearing up to win,” Chelle said. “That winning mindset is what we’re building. We’ll be chasing the 3 points on Wednesday.”
In goal, Maduka Okoye landed in Warsaw Monday and jumped straight into training looking sharp. He’s competing with Arthur Okonkwo — who kept 2 clean sheets during Nigeria’s Unity Cup win in London — and Cyprus-based Francis Uzoho.
At left back, FC Porto’s league winner Zaidu Sanusi will battle Bruno Onyemaechi. Midfield options include captain Wilfred Ndidi, Frank Onyeka, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, Tochukwu Nnadi, Raphael Onyedika, and youngster Abdullahi Bewene.
Up front, Chelle can call on Moses Simon, Akor Adams, Rafiu Durosinmi, Terem Moffi, Otele, and Paul Onuachu — who found out Tuesday morning he’d won Turkey’s Super Lig Goal of the Season. Onuachu was on fire in Monday’s session.
Like Nigeria, Poland also gave debuts to several new faces in their last game vs Ukraine on Sunday. Poland coach Jan Urban will likely lean on in-form winger Jakub Kamiński, but he’s got other young talents too like Oskar Pietuszewski, Mateusz Żukowski, Norbert Wojtuszek, Kacper Potulski, and Oskar Wójcik.
Kickoff is 8:45pm in Poland, 7:45pm Nigeria time, at Warsaw’s 58,000-seat PGE Narodowy Stadium.
