Super Eagles’ Manager, Eric Sekou-Chelle, has drafted in four home-based players as replacements for some of the senior players who have withdrawn from the international friendly against Russia.

  Russia will host Nigeria in an international friendly on Friday, in Moscow.

  Thenff.com, yesterday, named the players who have withdrawn from the team due to injuries and personal issues as Ola Aina, Kelechi Iheanacho, Wilfred Ndidi, Samuel Chukwueze, Sadiq Umar, and Nathan Tella.

   The goalkeeping sector is unaffected, as first-choice Stanley Nwabali was not listed for the trip in the first place, due to the upcoming burial rites for his late parents. Italy-based Maduka Okoye and Tanzania-based Amas Obasogie will still fight for the goaltender’s starting shirt.

  In the rearguard, Captain William Ekong is in Moscow alongside Bright Osayi-Samuel, joining the Unity Cup trio of Bruno Onyemaechi, Semi Ajayi, and Igoh Ogbu.

  As a replacement for Nottingham Forest’s Aina, Chelle has had to draft in the Unity Cup duo of Sodiq Ismaila and former junior international, Benjamin Fredericks, who impressed on his debut against Jamaica on Saturday.

  In the midfield, injury to Ndidi has handed Enugu Rangers’ ace, Saviour Isaac the opportunity to shine. Isaac is a key member of the Eagles B, which will participate in the African Nations Championship finals in August.  

  He will join Frank Onyeka, Raphael Onyedika, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, Christantus Uche, and Papa Daniel Mustapha to fight for shirts in the middle of the pack.

  Thenff.com said that Unity Cup ace Chukwueze and Iheanacho have excused themselves to attend to family matters, while Spain-based Umar has suffered an injury.

  “Tella’s United Kingdom passport is undergoing a renewal process, so he is unable to travel,” thenff.com said, adding: “This situation has left Sekou-Chelle with only Victor Boniface, Simon Moses, and Tolu Arokodare in the attack, and he has had to call up Russia-based former junior international, Olakunle Olusegun, who plays for Krasnodar FC.

  The team, which arrived in Moscow, yesterday, began training sessions early today for the match billed to be held at the 78,000-capacity Luzhniki Stadium, which is the largest football stadium in Russia and the ninth-largest in the whole of Europe.    

  In the Super Eagles squad in Moscow are goalkeepers Maduka Okoye (Udinese FC, Italy) and Amas Obasogie (Singida Blackstars, Tanzania); defenders William Ekong (Al-Kholood FC, Saudi Arabia), Bright Osayi-Samuel (Fenerbahce SK, Turkey), Bruno Onyemaechi (Olympiacos FC, Greece), Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion, England), Igoh Ogbu (SK Slavia Prague, Czech Republic), Sodiq Ismaila (Remo Stars) and Benjamin Fredericks (Brentford FC, England).

  Others are midfielders Frank Onyeka (Augsburg FC, Germany), Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium), Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (Lazio FC, Italy), Chrisantus Uche (Getafe CF, Spain), Papa Daniel Mustapha (Niger Tornadoes) and Saviour Isaac (Enugu Rangers), while the forwards are Victor Boniface (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany), Simon Moses (FC Nantes, France), Tolu Arokodare (KRC Genk, Belgium) and Olakunle Olusegun (Krasnodar FC, Russia).