U-23 AFCON: Siasia Names Final 21-man Squad

Nigeria’s Dream Team VI Coach, Samson Siasia, has named a final 21-man squad for the 2015 CAF U-23 Championship, commencing Saturday in Dakar, Senegal.

Coach Siasia listed four overseas-based professionals, with the rest of the squad drawn from the Nigeria league

The four overseas-based players are – Taiwo Awoniyi from German second division side, FSV Frankfurt, Junior Ajayi of Tunisian club CS Sfaxien, Isaac success from La Liga side Granada and Azubuike Okechukwu, who is based in Turkey.

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There is also no room for any member of the victorious Golden Eaglets from the U17 FIFA World Cup in Chile.

Siasia and his wards have the arduous task of picking a ticket at the championship which is designed to select Africa’s representatives for the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Nigeria boast a proud Olympics football record, having won gold medals at the Atlanta Games in 1996.

They also finished runners-up at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where current under-23 coach Siasia also coached the ‘Dream Team’ in China.

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Nigeria will play in Group B of the tournament and will face Mali, Algeria and Egypt for a place in the semifinals.

The tournament runs from November 28 through to December 12 in the Senegalese cities of Dakar and M’bour.

The top three teams will qualify automatically for next year’s Olympics in Rio.

Nigeria full squad:

Goalkeepers: Yusuf Mohammed (Kano Pillars), Emmanuel Iwu (Heartland), Emmanuel Daniel (Enugu Rangers)

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Defenders: Zaharadeen Bello (Kano Pillars), Seun Olubayo (Sunshine Stars), Chizoba Amaefule (Dolphins), Ebuka Iroha (Diamond Football Academy), Sincere Seth (Supreme Court FC), Seun Oduduwa (Nath Boys)

Midfielders: Azubuike Okechukwu (Yeni Matalatyaspor, Turkey), Godspower Aniefiok (Kano Pillars), Ndifreke Effiong (Abia Warriors), Usman Mohammed (FC Taraba),Tiongoli Tobara (Bayelsa United), Bature Yaro (Nasarawa United), Oghenekaro Etebo, Stanley Dimgba (both Warri Wolves)

Forward: Taiwo Awoniyi (FSV Frankfurt, Germany), Isaac Success (Granada CF, Spain), Junior Ajayi (CS Sfaxien, Tunisia), Kufre Ebong (Warri Wolves)

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