U23 AFCON: Stephen, Umar arrive Olympic Eagles’ camp

.Joshua Chukudi hit camp today

.Awoniyi, Azubuike still missing

By Taofeek Babalola

SportingLife can report that the duo of FC Isloch of Belarus defender Bitok Stephen and Spartak Jurmala FC of Latvia midfielder Aliyu Ya’u Umar arrived at the Olympic Eagles’ camp on Monday ahead of U23 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.

Stephen and Umar arrival increased the number of the players at team’s Mercure Hotel camp in Ismaila, Egypt to 18.

Umar arrived in the camp on Monday morning while Bitoks made his way to the camp in the evening.

The team’s Media Officer, Sharif Abdallah, who confirmed the development to SportingLife, also revealed that the Spartak Tranava FC of Slovakia defender, Josiah Chukwudi will join the rest of the team today.

It is understood that the team’s captain Azubuike  Okechukwu, FSV Mainz 05 of Germany striker, Taiwo Awoniyi,  are likely to miss the opening game against Cote d’Ivoire because their club insisted that they can only be released during the FIFA window as the tournament is not in the international calendar.

Nigeria representative will battle Cote d’Ivoire on November 9 at Al-Salam Stadium, Cairo.

The team head coach Imama Amapakabo led the team of 13 players and eight officials to Egypt on Friday before some foreign based players joined the team at their training camp in the city of Ismaila.

The other 16 players in camp have been putting finishing touches to their preparation in order to ensure that they have good outing in the tournament. The team trained twice every day under the supervision of the technical crew led by Amapakabo.

The team returned to Cairo today from their training camp in Ismaila for the final preparation for the championship that will be played between 8 and 22 November 2019 in Egypt.

Nigeria will face 2015 third-placed team South Africa, Cote d’Ivoire and Zambia in Group B.

The tournament will determine which three African teams that will compete at the 2020 Summer Olympics men's football tournament in Japan. Nigeria are the defending champions.