Nigeria’s opponents in Saturday’s Russia 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, Chipolopolo of Zambia have left the South African nation for a five-day training camp in Ghana.
The team’s trainer Wedson Nyirenda was among the first set of contingent who left Lusaka on Sunday morning. Six locally based players were also in the first batch alongside few members of the technical staff.
The remaining invited locally based stars travelled in the second batch on Sunday afternoon aboard a South African Airways flight.
Two new players were called up from the Zambian league after striker Brian Mwila who netted twice against Algeria last month was ruled out due to injury.
Power Dynamos star Alex Ng’onga and Zesco United’s John Ching’andu were handed late call-ups to replace the injured Mwila and K.V Dostende of Belgium midfielder Emmanuel Banda.
Goalkeeper and captain Kennedy Mweene who plays for South African side Mamelodi Sundowns is expected to lead other foreign based stars to their Accra camp after they might have featured for their clubs this weekend.
The team will leave Ghana for Uyo, Southern Nigeria on Thursday for the encounter billed for the Godswill Akpabio Stadium at 5pm Nigerian time on Saturday, October 7.
Nigeria’s Super Eagles have a 3-point lead over second placed Zambia in Group B of the qualification series. A win for the Super Eagles will secure Nigeria’s progress to a sixth World Cup finals appearance.
