Atanda Sodiq Ololade of Fk Apollonia Albania is the only foreign-based professional player invited by chief coach of the national U-23 men’s football team, Dream Team VI, Samson Siasia, that was able to honour the invitation of the coach for the return leg AAG qualifier against Zambia in Lusaka this weekend.
The central defender, who arrived the team’s camp on Monday, joined the team’s training session immediately, alongside Flying Eagles invitee, Bernard Bulbwa who last week signed for Tunisian club Esperance.
Also the Enyimba FC duo of Peter Onyekachi and Kingsley Sokari have rejoined the team after their continental duties for their club.
Only the duo of Oghenekaro Etebo and Freedom Omofonma of Warri Wolves who went with their club to Ethiopia for continental duties are still being expected as at Tuesday.
Meanwhile, due to club duties, two of the invited foreign-based pros, Paul Onauchu Ebere of Midtjyllan FC Denmark and Aminu Umar of Osmanlispor FC of Turkey, could not honour the invitation as their clubs refused them to be part of the team.
Although Onauchi’s club had written that the gangling striker was injured, it was discovered that he played all 90 minutes for his club over the weekend, while Aminu’s club were direct in turning down his request to be part of the Lusaka battle.
The Dream Team VI are expected to depart for Lusaka on Thursday from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja aboard an Ethiopian Airline for the game scheduled to be played on Sunday at 3pm Zambian time.