Super Eagles arrive in Kumasi ahead of tomorrow's World Cup qualifier against Ghana

NIGERIA's Super Eagles have left landed in Ghana ahead of tomorrow's World Cup qualifier against the Black Stars taking place at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi having arrived aboard a chartered Air Peace  flight from Abuja.

Dubbed the jollof derby, tomorrow's game is the first leg of a World Cup play-off tie, with the second leg coming up un Abuja on Tuesday. Regarded as favourites to win the tie and clinch the ticket for Qatar 2022, the Eagles arrived in Kumasi in high spirits today, with all 25 of them checking into their hotel.

Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) president, Amaju Pinnick, described the two-legged encounter against Ghana as serious business. He added that Nigerians do not want to hear any story, they only want to see the World Cup ticket.

Mr Pinnick said: “Of course, we are not the ones going into the field but the arrangements we put in place will, to a large extent, determine the spirit with which the players will enter the pitch. All our arrangements must be flawless and without sloppiness.

"It is a Fifa World Cup ticket at stake, so we must give it our all. Whatever efforts we have been making to ensure seamless movement to and fro, as well as accommodation of our contingent at major matches, must be doubled for the match in Kumasi."

Nigeria's 25-man squad included:

Goalkeepers:

Francis Uzoho (AC Omonia, Cyprus); Daniel Akpeyi (Kaizer Chiefs, South Africa); John Noble(Enyimba FC, Nigeria)

Defenders:

Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion, England); Kenneth Omeruo (CD Leganes, Spain); Leon Balogun (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland); William Ekong (Watford FC, England); Olaoluwa Aina (Torino FC, Italy); Calvin Bassey (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland); Abdullahi Shehu (AC Omonia, Cyprus); Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto, Portugal)

Midfielders:

Frank Onyeka (Brentford FC, England); Joseph Ayodele-Aribo (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland); Innocent Bonke (FC Lorient, France); Oghenekaro Etebo (Watford FC, England); Akinkunmi Amoo (FC Copenhagen, Denmark)

Forwards:

Ahmed Musa (Fatih Karagumruk, Turkey); Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal FC, Spain); Moses Simon (FC Nantes, France); Odion Jude Ighalo (Al-Hilal FC, Saudi Arabia); Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City, England); Emmanuel Dennis (Watford FC, England); Victor Osimhen (Napoli FC, Italy); Ademola Lookman (Leicester City, England); Sadiq Umar (UD Almeria, Spain)