The duo did not train with the Nigeria squad that is preparing to play against the Sao during Wednesday’s work out at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium in Kaduna
Men selling traditional ‘riga’ dress with local ‘hula’ hats welcome visitors straight into the airport lounge and the hot air strikes as one drives into the city centre through a line up of petrol trucks hugging the road on every side.
One of the few Nigerian states to have banned the use of motorcycles for commercial transportation - tricycles now jostle for right of way with their four-legged counterparts.
Honking cars, blaring music from roadside record stores and one easily forgets the hustle of Lagos as this northern city receives one for the next few days leading to the game.
Kaduna is where the Super Eagles will play against Chad on Friday, as they begin the journey to qualify for the 2017 tournament in Gabon after failing to reach Equatorial Guinea in January to defend their title from Johannesburg two years ago.
After that heart break suffered inside the new ultra-modern stadium in Uyo as South Africa halted the Eagles, Stephen Keshi returns to the side with renewed vigour.
Perhaps in order to banish the memories of that failure, the Nigeria Football Federation has uprooted the team once again, this time hoping that Kaduna would bring them better fortune.
As the team trained on Wednesday evening, watched by hundreds of fans in the stands, it was obvious that one of their own was absent from the pitch.
Ahmed Musa, a son of the North and World Cup hero, was conspicuously missing as Keshi drilled the boys in attacking lay up play.
The CSKA Moscow forward also missed Tuesday’s training, one fan told this writer. It seemed the locals are truly worried.
“He is dehydrated and was asked to stay back at the hotel,” media officer Toyin Ibitoye told Goal.
The medical team is expected to pass him fit before their final work out on Friday.
Defender Leon Balogun also sat out training after picking up a knock during Tuesday’s closed-door match with local league side Kaduna United.
The Super Eagles won that game 4-0.
On the pitch, Keshi led his team to work on lay up play as everyone took turns at shooting on goal.
Vincent Enyeama led his understudy Daniel Akpeyi as they worked at keeping out the shots from the players.
It was a hard time for the crowd to watch as Aaron Samuel shot wide of goal severally but they quickly rewarded Rabiu Ibrahim with applause when he cheekily chipped over an onrushing goalkeeper.
Tickets go on sale on Thursday as Kaduna fans look forward to see Keshi’s new look team without familiar names like John Obi Mikel, Emmanuel Emenike, Brown Ideye, Elderson Echiejile, Victor Moses and Efe Ambrose.
Expected to lead the attack is Watford striker Odion Ighalo who scored 20 goals in the just concluded season to lead his side to promotion while AS Trencin’s Ibrahim would hope to revive his career after injury curtailed his progress after so much promise in the youth teams.
Midfielder Ogenyi Onazi continues to show leadership and would look to fill the gap left by Mikel as John Ogu returns to the side after a not too shabby season in Israel.
The pair of Godfrey Oboabona and Kenneth Omeruo also looked sharp in training and would look to reprise their successful defensive combination that led the team to success in 2013.
The team will keep an eye on the other Group G game in Cairo as Egypt take on Tanzania.
With clouds gathering over the city pregnant with rain, Kaduna fans would hope that Keshi’s new reign begins with victory and a lot of goals on Saturday evening
