Odion Ighalo Missing As Super Eagles Land In Cameroon Ahead 2021 AFCON

Odion Ighalo Missing As Super Eagles Land In Cameroon Ahead 2021 AFCON By Niyi Busari Nigeria have arrived in Garoua for their campaign at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations which starts on January 11. Austin Eguavoen’s side landed in Garoua International Airport on Wednesday night aboard a chartered Air Peace flight. [video width="848" height="480" mp4="https://bsnsports.com.ng/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/VID-20220106-WA0008.mp4"][/video] They left Abuja with 25 players as they await the arrival of Al Shabab's Odion Ighalo, Venezia's Tyronne Ebuehi and Paderborn's Jamiliu Collins. Before the trip to the Central African nation, the Super Eagles were hosted by the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development for a send forth dinner at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in the country’s capital on Tuesday. Nigeria will begin their campaign for a fourth Afcon title with a Group D clash against Egypt next Tuesday at the Roumde Adjia Stadium. They also have games against Sudan and Guinea-Bissau fixed for January 15 and January 19 respectively. In preparation for their 19th appearance in the competition, the Super Eagles will take on Cameroonian top-flight champions Coton Sport in a friendly match at the practice pitch of Roumde Adjia Stadium on Friday, which would be behind closed doors. Meanwhile, striker of the Super Eagles, Odion Ighalo, may not eventually feature at the tournament following the refusal of his Saudi Arabian club, Al-Shabab, to sanction his release. A clause in the contract he signed with the club, which indicated that he was no longer active internationally for Nigeria, was now preventing him from participating at the tournament. Ighalo joined the Saudi club from Manchester United in England after he ran out his contract with the English Premier League side. He was recalled to the Super Eagles in November after announcing his retirement earlier and being away from the team for over two years. Emmanuel Dennis of Watford FC and Victor Osimhen of Napoli are two other top strikers that will be missing from the Eagles squad when the tournament begins in Cameroon on January 9. While Watford blocked Dennis from participating at the AFCON, Osimhen pulled out after doctors advised him not to rush his comeback from a fatal facial injury he suffered while playing for Napoli in the Italian Serie A.