FC Porto of Portugal midfielder, Kelechi Nwakali has downplayed any worries harbored by Nigerians over the possibility of poor blending affecting the under-23 team against Libya on Wednesday, as he says the coaches have already told them how to go about winning the game.
Sports247.ng gathered that Nwakali was excited on arrival in the Olympic Eagles’ camp, as he was able to reunite with a couple of the players that were with him in the 2015 Golden Eaglets’ squad, which won the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile.
Nwakali, who is on loan from Arsenal of England at Porto, where he is currently with the Portuguese club’s B-team, was captain of the Eaglets that also included Orji Okonkwo and Samuel Chukwueze, who are now with him at the under-23 team’s camp in Tunisia.
He is of a view that they will not have any problems of understanding on the field of play, haven been together before, while also noting that the duo of Taiwo Awoniyi and Azubuike Okechukwu were in the previous set of under-23 players in 2015.
That squad went on to win the African U-23 Cup of Nations in Morocco and then snatched bronze at he 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, both of which Nwakali said the new team is determined to pass.
Azubuike has been appointed captain of the new team, with Nwakali his assistant, such that the younger brother of Chidiebere Nwakali believes they are well stocked to achieve the ambition of beating Libya.
Nwakali stressed: “Beating Libya remains our focus. We know it won’t be an easy match, but we are very much ready for them.
“We are the defending champions and we would love to qualify and defend our trophy in Egypt.
“Regardless of the limited time we have together, the coaches have spoken to us and we know the importance of this match to the nation.”
