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Augustine
Eguavoen, coach of Nigeria’s national under-23 team, has called up
three additional overseas-based players for this weekend’s 2011
All-Africa Games qualifier against Liberia. Already, the former Super
Eagles skipper and coach can bank on the services of seven
overseas-based players for the match which comes up on Saturday at
Benin City’s Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium.

But having earlier
played out a 1-1 draw in the first leg tie decided penultimate Saturday
in Monrovia, Eguavoen is leaving no stone unturned in his bid to ensure
that Nigeria advances to the next round of the qualifiers by calling up
three more overseas-based players. They are led by former Bendel
Insurance and Kano Pillars midfielder, Solomon Okpako, who now plays
for Greek Super League side, Panionios, and who was in the Super Eagles
‘B’ side that won last year’s WAFU Cup tournament in Nigeria.

Also called up is
former Nigeria under-20 international forward, Kehinde Fatai, who plays
club football with Romanian top Liga 1 outfit, Astra Ploiesti, as well
as Hapoel Acre of Israel defender Fidelis Dimaku.

They will join the
likes of goalkeeper Dele Ajiboye, and also Nurudeen Orelesi, Edet Ibok,
Nosa Igiebor, Ganiyu Oseni and Nnamdi Oduamadi, who had earlier been
called up for Saturday’s game.

According to the
media officer of the Nigerian team, Arafat Aliu, the players are
expected to hit the team’s camp by Wednesday, April 27. Mr Aliu also
disclosed that the team would observe a training-free day today because
of the gubernatorial and state house of assembly elections holding
nationwide.

A captain’s optimism

Meanwhile, the
captain of the Nigerian U-23 team, Kingsley Udoh, is confident of
victory over the Liberians on Saturday. The Nigerian team had a tough
time in the Liberian capital during the first leg encounter with some
of the players losing valuables, while the likes of Ajiboye and Rabiu
Ibrahim sustained injuries.

“We went through a
horrible time in Monrovia but we picked a point,” Udoh said. “Now that
we are home, we want revenge and that we shall get on the field of play
on Saturday.” The Heartland of Owerri defender also assured that the
Nigerian team would win Saturday’s tie in memory of late Nigerian
defender Olubayo Adefemi, who passed on recently in Greece.

“If for nothing, we will be playing for our fallen colleague, Olubayo Adefemi. And we are going to win for him,” he added.