The management of Nasarawa United Football Club, Lafia, has expressed delight following the invitation of its goalkeeper coach, Olatunji Abideen-Baruwa, and four key players to the Nigeria U-23 National Team, the Olympic Eagles.
In a statement issued to journalists on Friday in Lafia by the club’s Director of Media, Eche Amos, Chairman Solomon Babanjah listed the invited players as goalkeeper Onu Olughu-Chinemerem, defender Alfred Odinaka, attacking midfielder Umar Mohammed, and winger Jofrank Joshua.
According to Babanjah, the coach and players were called up by Senior Men’s National Team Head Coach Eric Chelle to prepare for the upcoming U-23 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying fixture against the Democratic Republic of Congo this November.
Babanjah described the national recognition as a testament to the squad’s dedication, discipline, professionalism, and consistent performance.
“It is heartwarming as a club to have our goalkeeper coach and four players given a national invitation, knowing the competitive nature of such an opportunity,” Babanjah stated. “This underscores the technical quality embedded in our team, while the call-up of four players reaffirms our club’s status as a hub for nurturing elite talents for the nation.”
He added that the club is immensely proud of the accomplishment and remains confident the group will serve as worthy ambassadors in the national camp.
The chairman also commended Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule for providing an environment conducive to talent development and prioritizing the welfare of the club, while extending appreciation to the Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Jibril Abdullahi-Ibrahim, Permanent Secretary Dr. Stephen Iliya-Sasetu, and other stakeholders for their continuous support.
The invited coach and players are expected to report to camp on Sunday, October 25, to begin preparations.
Nigeria will face DR Congo in the first leg on Friday, November 13, at the TP Mazembe Stadium in Lubumbashi, before hosting the return leg at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne, Ogun State, on Tuesday, November 17. The winner of the tie will advance to the final qualifying round of the U-23 AFCON in Egypt, which serves as the path to the Men’s Football tournament at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
