Super Eagles train in Uyo today: Ajayi a doubt, Tanzania without Mzize and Job, and only the group winner qualifies

The Super Eagles hold their first training session of the window on Tuesday at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo, three days before they host Tanzania in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifier that will go a long way to deciding whether Nigeria are at the 2027 finals. Complete Sports reported on Monday that “the Super Eagles have officially opened their training camp in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State”, with the players due to report on Monday and the first session on Tuesday on the stadium’s practice pitch. Kick-off on Friday 13 November is 16:00 GMT, which is 17:00 WAT (17:00 CET), according to CAF’s schedule.

Why Friday matters more than a normal qualifier

CAF’s rules for this qualifying round make Nigeria’s position harder than the table alone suggests. The finals in 2027 are shared by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, and the three co-hosts qualify as hosts but still play in the qualifying groups, with their results counting. In most of the 12 groups the top two go through. In the three groups that contain a co-host, CAF says, “the highest-placed other team will qualify for the finals”. Tanzania are in Nigeria’s group, Group L. So only one of Nigeria, Guinea-Bissau and Madagascar goes to the tournament, and it is the one that finishes highest.

After two rounds Guinea-Bissau have six points and Nigeria three, according to CAF’s preview of the window; Madagascar and Tanzania have a point each. Guinea-Bissau beat Nigeria 3-0 in Bissau in September, as Soccernet.ng’s table piece recorded. While Nigeria play Tanzania twice, Guinea-Bissau play Madagascar twice: away on Thursday 12 November at 16:00 GMT and at home on Tuesday 17 November at 16:00 GMT. Two Nigerian wins would bring nine points, but the gap only closes if Madagascar take something off the leaders. The return game, Tanzania v Nigeria, is on Tuesday 17 November at 13:00 GMT, which is 14:00 WAT (14:00 CET).

Ajayi a doubt, nobody yet called up

The one injury worry in Eric Chelle’s 24 is Semi Ajayi. Complete Sports reported that the Hull City defender went off in the 69th minute of Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at Arsenal holding his left leg, and that “Ajayi’s knock would be a worry for the Super Eagles coaching crew”. As of 08:20 CET on Tuesday no replacement had been announced on the NFF’s website, which still lists the squad as named on Saturday: Okonkwo, Uzoho and Nwabali in goal; Onyemaechi, Aina, Fredricks, Ajayi, Bassey, Nwaiwu, Osayi-Samuel and Bewene in defence; Ndidi, Iwobi, Alhassan Yusuf, Nnadi, Tijani, Dele-Bashiru and Mubarak Suleiman in midfield; Simon, Awoniyi, Akor Adams, Lookman, Arokodare and Usor in attack. Victor Osimhen is out after knee surgery, as this site reported last week.

How the squad players spent the weekend

Ademola Lookman “was an unused substitute as Barcelona came from a goal down to beat Atlético Madrid 2-1 on Sunday”, Complete Sports reported. Legit.ng’s round-up of the squad’s weekend says Calvin Bassey captained Fulham in their 1-1 draw with Newcastle, Taiwo Awoniyi played 87 minutes in Coventry’s 3-1 defeat at Everton, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru played about an hour in Lazio’s 1-1 draw at Napoli, Maduka Okoye started in goal in Udinese’s 2-1 home defeat by Venezia with Akor Adams playing the full game for Venezia, Moses Simon played 66 minutes in Paris FC’s 1-0 win over Auxerre, and Wilfred Ndidi played 70 minutes as Beşiktaş won 3-0. Ola Aina was not in Nottingham Forest’s squad for their 3-1 win over Manchester City, the same round-up said, without giving a reason. Pulse Sports Nigeria reported that Tolu Arokodare scored for Ajax in a 2-2 draw with Twente, his fifth game in a row with a goal.

Two forwards who are not in the squad also made news. Complete Sports reported that Nathan Tella “remains sidelined as he continues recovery from a muscle injury” and that Victor Boniface was on the bench as Leverkusen won 2-1 at Köln.

Tanzania travel light

Tanzania have come without two of their better-known players. Complete Sports, quoting the Tanzania federation’s media director Clifford Ndimbo, reported that Clement Mzize and Dickson Job of Young Africans stayed behind to continue recovering from injury, and that “the two players were left out of the travelling squad that departed for Nigeria on Monday”, a party of 22 under the coach Miguel Gamondi. Tanzania lost 2-0 to Guinea-Bissau and drew 1-1 with Madagascar in their first two games, according to Soccernet.ng, and are already at the finals as co-hosts, so the two games against Nigeria carry nothing for them beyond pride and preparation.

NPFL: Rangers stay top

In the league at home, Rangers kept first place on Sunday with a 1-0 win over Kwara United in Awka. Complete Sports reported that “Victor Chimezie scored the decisive goal five minutes before half-time”, and that the champions have 24 points from 11 games. Bendel Insurance moved second with a stoppage-time winner from John Taiwo against Niger Tornadoes, and Enyimba lost 1-0 at Ranchers Bees. The NPFL’s own table was not published on a page this site could read on Tuesday morning, so positions below the top two are not given here.

Sources

1. AFCON 2027Q: Super Eagles Begin Preparations Tuesday For Tanzania Double-Header, Complete Sports. Read 01:52 ET, Nov 10, 2026.
2. AFCON 2027 Race: Chelle names Ndidi, Simon, Iwobi, Bassey, 21 others for Tanzania, Nigeria Football Federation. Read 01:58 ET, Nov 10, 2026.
3. Injury Concern For Super Eagles As Ajayi Suffers Knock In Hull City's 1-0 Defeat At Arsenal, Complete Sports. Read 02:14 ET, Nov 10, 2026.
4. AFCON 2027Q: Tanzania Lose Two Key Stars Ahead Of Super Eagles Clash, Complete Sports. Read 02:03 ET, Nov 10, 2026.
5. Crucial Matchdays 3 and 4 to shape TotalEnergies CAF AFCON PAMOJA 2027 qualification race, CAF. Read 01:57 ET, Nov 10, 2026.
6. Everything you need to know about TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations PAMOJA 2027, CAF. Read 01:57 ET, Nov 10, 2026.
7. Super Eagles news: Nigeria trail Guinea-Bissau by 3 before Tanzania, Soccernet.ng. Read 00:48 ET, Nov 9, 2026.
8. Lookman Benched As Atletico Madrid Suffer 2-1 Home Defeat To Barcelona, Complete Sports. Read 02:08 ET, Nov 10, 2026.
9. Bundesliga: Tella Missing, Boniface Benched As Bayer Leverkusen Overcome Cologne, Complete Sports. Read 02:07 ET, Nov 10, 2026.
10. Super Eagles form check: how 25 players performed before the AFCON 2027 qualifiers against Tanzania, Legit.ng. Read 02:12 ET, Nov 10, 2026.
11. Dessers, Arokodare, Orban: Super Eagles stars abroad, weekend review, Pulse Sports Nigeria. Read 02:05 ET, Nov 10, 2026.
12. NPFL: Rangers Maintain Top Spot, Enyimba Stumble Against Ranchers Bees, Complete Sports. Read 02:05 ET, Nov 10, 2026.

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