AFCON U23: Gift Orban, Ejeh Missing As Olympic Eagles Face Guinea Today

AFCON U23: Gift Orban, Ejeh Missing As Olympic Eagles Face Guinea Today 

By Niyi Busari

Gent of Belgium wonderkid, Gift Orban and Mjalby AIF player, Isaiah Ejeh failed to honour the invitation to feature for Nigeria in today's first leg of the CAF U23 African Nations Cup qualifier against Guinea, BSNSports.com.ng can report.

Gift, 20, who has scored 7 goals in his last two games for Gent, including the fastest hat-trick in the history of the UEFA club football championship tops the list of 16 foreign players invited to the Olympic Eagles camp. 14 out of the 16 players have arrived and set for the game. Meanwhile, two players one from each club of the absentees came and are part of the U23 team. Chukwudi Igboke who plays for KAA Gents and AbdulAzeez Yusuf who plies his trade with Mjalby AIF have since arrived for the game.

Former Flying Eagles winger, Success Makanjuola (FK Liepaja), former Gombe United ace Abdulazeez Yusuf (Mjallby AIF), Bello Babatunde (Future FC) Abiodun Ogunniyi (FK Auda), Monsuru Opeyemi Abdullahi (FC Vizela), Omoye Olaoluwakitan (Athletic Newham), Owen Udoh (UD San Sebastian Reyes), Charles Uba (Lillestrom FC), Simon Omon (Club Operation Desportivo) and Ihekuna Ugochukwu (FC Sfintul Georghe Suruceni) are among the 14 foreign based players who honoured the invitation.

Others are Chukwudi Igboke (KAA Gent), Abass Saidi (Zagalata FC), Ibrahim Buhari (IF Elfsborg) and

Samuel Amadi (Eramica Cleopatra) completes the 14-man list of foreign pros.

Meanwhile, Guinea's Junior Syli National arrived Nigeria on Tuesday and had light training same day ahead of today's match.  

The Guineans got to the final round of the qualifiers after Uganda pulled out of the 2nd round qualifiers due to lack of funds.

Victory for the Olympic Eagles over two legs will see them qualify for the U23 AFCON in Algeria.