Ahead of Nigeria’s crucial Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Benin on Thursday, November 14, Super Eagles interim coach Austin Eguavoen has confirmed the arrival of goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali and striker Sadiq Umar to join the squad in Abidjan. Their arrival comes just in time for the national team’s first training session as they prepare for the high-stakes match at Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny.

Nigeria currently leads Group D with 10 points from four matches and a draw in this fixture would be enough to secure their spot in the 2025 AFCON in Morocco. However, Benin, with six points, must win to keep their qualification hopes alive.

The Super Eagles have been steadily arriving in camp, with several key players such as Samuel Chukwueze, Moses Simon, and Victor Osimhen already present. By Tuesday afternoon, the camp saw an additional influx of players including Victor Boniface, Ademola Lookman, and Alex Iwobi, bringing the total number of players to 21.

With the training session set for Tuesday evening, Nwabali and Sadiq Umar are expected to join before the 7pm local time session, allowing Eguavoen to begin preparations with a nearly complete squad. The coach will be eager to avoid a repeat of the 2-1 loss to Benin during their last encounter in June.

The match on Thursday is expected to be a tense affair, with both teams aiming to secure crucial points for their AFCON aspirations.