Sand Eagles Step Up Preparations for Ghana Clash in Beach Soccer AFCON Qualifiers

Nigeria’s Beach Soccer National Team, the Sand Eagles, have stepped up preparations for their CAF Beach Soccer Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign, with all 20 invited players now in camp in Kaduna ahead of a two-leg clash with Ghana’s Black Sharks.

The team has been undergoing tactical and technical training at the Murtala Muhammed Square Sports Complex under the supervision of coach Christopher Kadiri, while head coach Abdullahi Isa is currently with the Golden Eaglets preparing for the WAFU-B U-17 Championship in Ouagadougou.

Nigeria will host Ghana in the first leg of the qualifying tie in Kaduna on Oct. 10, with the return leg scheduled for Accra on Oct. 17.

The winner of the two-leg contest will secure qualification for the CAF Beach Soccer AFCON finals in Senegal.

The Sand Eagles are seeking to build on Nigeria’s return to international beach soccer competition after several years away from the sport’s major continental stage.

Nigeria returned to the international scene two years ago but missed out on qualification for the CAF Beach Soccer AFCON after losing to Mauritania on the away-goals rule in the qualifying series for the tournament in Seychelles.

The Nigeria Football Federation is also seeking additional preparation for the Ghana tie, having approached the Senegalese Football Federation to arrange friendly matches between Nigeria and the reigning African champions.

The planned fixtures are expected to provide further competitive exposure as the Sand Eagles prepare for the decisive qualifying battle against Ghana.

Sand Eagles Squad

Goalkeepers: Godwin Tale (Kada BSC), Nuhu Noma Aiki (Kebbi BSC), Olalekan Oladipo (Kada BSC).

Defenders: Victor Tale (Kada BSC), Taiwo Adams (Kebbi BSC), Emmanuel Ohwoferia (Kebbi BSC), Clement Eganosi (Anambra BSC), Effiong Eyo (Ibom BSC), Chinweze Gabriel (Anambra BSC).

Forwards: Dozie Frank (Kada BSC), Stanley Ekwe (Anambra BSC), Tanko Emmanuel (Kada BSC), Ekene Obi (Kebbi BSC), Hassan Abubakar (Niger BSC), Sadiq Umar (Kebbi BSC), Kazeem Oyewunmi (Igbogbo BSC), Hassan Abdullahi (Kebbi BSC), Godspower Igudia (Edo BSC), Hamza Bagudu (Jigawa BSC), Hamza Isa (Kebbi BSC).