Nigeria open training camp for Egypt showdown Sunday

Ifeanyi Matthew of Kano Pillars (right) is expected to be one of the players from the domestic league to open Nigeria's training camp in Abuja on Sunday.

   Nigeria will open their training camp for two crucial AFCON 2017 qualifiers against Egypt on Sunday with players from the domestic league, officials have informed.

The camp will open in Abuja before it moves to Kaduna, where Nigeria will welcome seven-time champions Egypt on March 25, before they fly out to the reverse clash in Alexandria on March 29 night.

This latest proposal for the camp to open earlier than a plan by former Super Eagles coach Sunday Oliseh to get going two weeks to the match in Kaduna is expected to be endorsed by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) technical committee, when they meet in Abuja on Thursday.


However, it is left to be seen whether the home-based players called up for the Egypt matches will be excused to feature for their clubs in league matches thereafter.

Nigeria are expected to announce a squad made up of players from the home league and foreign pros on Thursday after a deliberation by the technical committee.

NFF technical director Shuaibu Amodu met with caretaker coaches Samson Siasia and Salisu Yusuf on Tuesday in Abuja to draw up a squad list.

Emmanuel Amuneke, the third member in the Eagles consortium of coaches, was not present as he was back at his base in Spain.