Head Coach Eric Chelle has declared that the Super Eagles are firmly focused on victory ahead of Wednesday’s international friendly against Poland, following the arrival of defender Calvin Bassey at the team’s Warsaw training camp.
The versatile Fulham defender arrived at the Warsaw Presidential Hotel on Tuesday morning, bringing the total number of players in camp to an energised 20-man squad. His timely arrival gives the technical crew critical depth and versatility in the rearguard as Nigeria prepares to face the Polish hosts at the 58,000-capacity PGE Narodowy Stadium.
"Now, we have a team and we are preparing to go out there and win," Chelle stated during a press briefing at the team hotel. "Winning is the mentality that we are trying to create in the team, in the players. We will go for a win on Wednesday."
The high-profile encounter serves as a tactical testing ground for both nations as they integrate fresh talent. While Poland, managed by Jan Urban, experimented with several debutants during their recent match against Ukraine, Nigeria is looking to build on the momentum of their recent Unity Cup triumph in London, where a youthful Eagles side successfully blooded several new faces.
Chelle now faces positive selection dilemmas across the pitch. In defence, Bassey is expected to partner a highly motivated Semi Ajayi in central defence, while Igoh Ogbu and Emmanuel Fernandez remain robust options. Competition is equally fierce for the left-back spot between FC Porto’s league champion Zaidu Sanusi and Bruno Onyemaechi.
In the midfield, captain Wilfred Ndidi will anchor a unit that features Frank Onyeka and Raphael Onyedika, while Germany-based Philip Otele is expected to join the attacking options alongside Terem Moffi and Moses Simon.
The match is scheduled to kick off at 8:45 PM local time (7:45 PM Nigerian time), with the Polish side expected to rely heavily on in-form winger Jakub Kamiński to counter Nigeria's dynamic frontline.