Super Eagles’ coach, Gernot Rohr roared into the Nigerian national team’s camp in Singapore 24 hours ahead of schedule, alongside three of his 23 players invited for Sunday’s friendly game against Brazil, megasportsarena.com reports.
On the same flight with Rohr into the tiny Asian island nation early Tuesday were the Spain-based trio of Samuel Chukwueze from Villarreal, Chidozie Awaziem of CD Leganes and Ramon Azeeez of Granada, who were joined on arrival by Glasgow Rangers of Scotland midfielder, Joe Aribo and new belated invitee, CSKA Sofia of Bulgaria winger, Viv Solomon-Otabor.
Aribo and Solomon-Otabor, a late call up in place of injured Girondins-Bordeaux of France winger, Samuel Kalu, were first to arrive at the Eagles’ nest in Fairmont Hotel, after thehy both flew in together in from the United Kingdom, with the early arrivals then later joined by Wilfred Onyinyen Ndidi, Alex Iwobi, Emmanuel Dennis, Victor Osimhen and William Troost-Ekong.
However, AS Torino of Italy right-back, Ola Aina is the latest player to withdraw from the list of invitees for Sunday’s high-profile game against Brazil, following reports that he was involved in a domestic accident and will not be available to honour the national team invitation.
Aina, who celebrated his 23rd birthday on Tuesday, joined Torino on a permanent deal from Chelsea of England in the summer and has appeared in ten official matches for the Serie A club this season, but he will not be available to add to his current haul of 14 caps with the Eagles after playing a key role in last month’s 2-2 draw away to Ukraine.
Feelers from the camp, though, indicate that Aina will not be replaced in the squad by another late call up, as Rohr has already invited Benfica of Portugal full-back, Tyronne Ebuehi for equally injured Kenneth Omeruo, while Bursaspor of Turkey defender, Abdullahi Shehu had already been included in the original list of 23 invitees for the impending battle against Brazil.
Rohr will now expect all his invited players and late additions to be in camp by Thursday morning at the latest, for the start of training to commence in earnest same day, as he plan to have three days of preparations with the team before the game on Sunday.