Head coach of the NPFL All-Star, Salisu Yusuf, on Thursday released the final list of the 25-man squad to play on the friendly tour of Spain even as the organizers, LaLiga released fixtures, time and venue of the NPFL All-Star tour, which shows that their first match against LaLiga side, Valencia CF, will hold inside the Alzira Stadium in the city of Valencia. The match will hold on August 10 with kick-off slated for 8.30pm Nigerian time (9.30pm Spanish time).
The NPFL All-Star team will then join the Trofeo Ramon de Carranza tournament in Cadiz with the opening match between Cadiz and UEFA Champions League runners-up, Atletico Madrid on August 12 at 5.30pm Nigerian time(6.30pm Spanish time).
The next fixture of the tournament will see the NPFL All-Star go up against Malaga CF, three hours after the Cadiz – Atletico Madrid tie on same August 12.
Should the NPFL All-Star make it beyond the semi-final stage, then they will play in the final and should they lose in the semi-final stage, they will also play against the losers between Cadiz and Atletico Madrid. The final and losers final matches will hold on August 13.
Meanwhile, the final 25-man squad of the NPFL All-Star has been unveiled by Yusuf, who said the selection was based on performance in the two weeks camping. They include goalkeepers Theophilus Afelokhai of Enyimba FC, FC Ifeanyiubah’s Ikechukwu Ezenwa and Emeka Nwabulu of Wikki Tourists.
The shortlisted defenders are Etim Matthew of Rangers, Samuel Ifeanyi Nweke of Nasarawa United, Chima Akas of Enyimba FC and Gabriel Wassa of Niger Tornadoes. The others are Austin Obaroakpo of Abia Warriors, Jamiu Alimi of Kano Pillars, Chinedu Udoji of Enyimba and Emmanuel Ariwachukwu of Akwa United.
The midfielders that made the list include Ifeanyi Ifeanyi of MFM, Obinna Nwobodo of Rangers, Ekundayo Ojo of Sunshine Stars, Rabiu Ali of Kano Pillars, Alhassan Abdullahi Ibrahim of Wikki Tourists and Charles Henlong of Wikki Tourists.
Upfront players are Bassey Ezekiel of Enyimba, Joseph Osadiaye also of Enyimba and Hussaini Mohammed Bata of El-Kanemi Warriors. Others are Chisom Egbuchulam of Rangers, Godwin Obaje of Wikki Tourists, Ismaila Gata of FC Ifeanyiubah, Oluwadamilare Ojo of Enyimba and Sikiru Olatunbosun of MFM.
The League Management Company (LMC) has meanwhile announced that all the Enyimba players in the All-Star team would travel directly from the tour to Egypt for their CAF Champions League fixture against Zamalek. Shehu Dikko, the LMC Chairman disclosed this and explained that “it is to ensure that the country’s remaining representative in the continental competition have the full complement of their best players in this crucial encounter.”
All the 25 players have been notified that the last phase of camping begins on Monday in Abuja. “They are to report back to camp on Monday, August 1 and would travel from camp on August 8,” the LMC announced.
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