Arsenal midfielder handed maiden Nigeria call-up ahead of U23 AFCON qualifier

Allnigeriasoccer.com understands that Arsenal-owned midfielder Tim Akinola has received a maiden international call-up for Nigeria's Africa U23 Cup of Nations qualifying match against Tanzania scheduled to take place at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Ibadan on Saturday, October 29.

Born in Lokoja, Kogi State, Akinola has pledged his international future to Nigeria over England, having accepted an invitation from the Nigeria Football Federation to play for the Olympic Eagles, otherwise called the Dream Team VIII.

The 2001-born defensive midfielder will land in Lagos from the United Kingdom at 1645 hours on Sunday and plans to spend the night in the country's commercial capital before traveling to Ibadan on Monday morning to link up with the Olympic Eagles. 

Akinola is a player well known to the coaches in Nigeria's youth team setup as Flying Eagles boss Ladan Bosso was keeping tabs on him about two years ago with a view to handing him a call-up but his team failed to qualify for the 2021 U20 AFCON. 

The 21-year-old has experienced first team football this year, making appearances for Scottish Premiership side Dundee United and Chesterfield in the National League. 

Tanzania forced 1996 Olympic champions Nigeria to a 1-1 draw in the first leg staged at the  Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam. 

Captain Success Makanjuola broke the deadlock in the 29th minute when he converted a penalty but the home team equalised in the 74th minute to leave the second leg finely poised. 

Ifeanyi Emmanuel 

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