Official: NFF appoints veteran goalie Isa as head coach of Supersand Eagles

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has named Abdullahi Isa as the new Head Coach of the Supersand Eagles, Soccernet.ng reports.

Joining him in the backroom staff are Christopher Kadiri as Assistant Coach and Bashar Samaila as Goalkeepers’ Trainer.

The first task of the coaching crew of the Supersand Eagles will be to lead the team to Nouakchott. There they will face Mauritania in the first leg of the 2024 Beach Soccer Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match on Saturday. It is the first time in five years that Nigeria will participate in an international competition.

Abdullahi Isa, a former goalkeeper and assistant coach of the team, and his assistants will lead Nigeria’s delegation. 

The squad at their disposal includes experienced players like Victor Tale and Emeka Ogbonna, alongside Arome Isah, Adams Taiwo, Emmanuel Ohwoferia, Godwin Tale, Egan-Osi Ekujimi, Chidozie Frank, and Hassan Abdullahi.

The match will be officiated by a team from Egypt. Hany Farouk El-Sayed Eleraky will be the main referee, assisted by Ahmed Mohamed Elwan Nofal and Ibrahim El-Sayed Mahgoub. Khaled Mohamed Elewa will act as the timekeeper, and Moroccan El Mansouri Taha will serve as the commissioner.

The return leg of the qualifying match is scheduled for Saturday, 27th July in Nigeria.

Following the Supersand Eagles’ disappointing performance at the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in Paraguay in 2019, the NFF withdrew them from international competitions.

However, beach soccer enthusiasts, led by Mallam Mahmoud Hadejia, kept the sport alive in Nigeria with the annual Nigeria Beach Soccer League and various tournaments.