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Super Eagles B stand-in coach Daniel Ogunmodede is hopeful that the home-based stars will regroup in time to prepare for the 2024 African Nations Championship tournament which will be hosted by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda from February 1 to 28, 2025, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
Nigeria qualified for the tournament on Saturday after beating Ghana 3-1 in the second leg of the final qualifying fixture at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo.
After a goalless first leg in Accra last Sunday, the Eagles B produced a spectacular first-half performance, with Remo Stars’ duo Sodiq Ismail and Nduka Junior putting the hosts ahead within the opening 22 minutes before Rangers’ Kazeem Ogunleye made it 3-0 in the 25th minute.
Reaching the 2024 tournament will mark Nigeria’s first appearance at the CHAN in six years, having featured last in 2018.
Ogunmodede, who worked with his Rangers International counterpart, Fidelis Ilechukwwu, to assemble the final team said he was looking forward to their next phase.
“We had early preparations for the qualifiers with three phases of camping. The last phase started four weeks ago in Ikenne and that really helped us and hopefully, we will have the same preparation for the CHAN proper,” the Remo Stars coach said after the game.
“Obviously, there is little or nothing that will change because these boys have really proved themselves and we can only assess the videos, identify our weaknesses and work on them.”
Build up to the qualifier, Ogunmodede has usually stressed what it means for the country to play at the tournament.
“Qualification would be monumental. It offers a platform to showcase local talent, raise the profile of the domestic league, and inspire the next generation of footballers,” Ogunmodede told CAF about what qualifying means for Nigeria.
Nigeria has never won the tournament, having finished third at the 2014 edition in South Africa before losing the final against hosts Morocco four years later.
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