By Akinwale Kasali
With less than a week to the 2024 African Cup of Nations, AFCON, qualifiers, Super Eagles Portuguese tactician, Jose Peseiro has released a 23-Man Team that would face the Leone Stars of Sierra Leone.
Peseiro sprung up a surprise in his invitation list, by dropping Omonia Nicosia Football Club of Cyprus safe hands, Francis Uzoho for Israeli Based Goalkeeper, Adebayo Adeleye who in on the books of Hapoel Jerusalem, also giving call ups to two Home Based Goalkeepers; Victor Sochima (Rivers United) and Olorunleke Ojo (Enyimba FC).
He also invited Bendel Insurance Football Club of Benin Midfielder, Divine Nwachukwu, who has been exceptional.
As expected, Victor of Osimhen, whose 31 goals in all competitions for SSC Napoli this season helped the Italian giants to the semi finals of the UEFA Champions League and to their first Italian Serie A title in 33 years, tops the strikers’ list.
Osimhen who was given a National Honour, Member of the Federal Republic, MFR, by former President Muhammadu Buhari administration, also, has received a special ball and jersey from world football-ruling body, FIFA for his magnificent season.
Others invitees are; Defenders, William Ekong, Kenneth Omeruo, Zaidu Sanusi, Calvin Bassey, Oluwasemilogo Ajayi and Bright Osayi-Samuel are in, with midfielders Wilfred Ndidi and Frank Onyeka, and forwards Samuel Chukwueze, Taiwo Awoniyi and Kelechi Iheanacho also in the 23-man roster.
The Super Eagles are top of their qualification group with nine points out of four matches, followed by Guinea Bissau’s Wild Dogs who have seven points.
Leone Stars, who gave the Eagles a tough run in Abuja on Day 1 of the qualification series before succumbing 2-1, are on five points. Sao Tome and Principe, who play the Super Eagles on the final day of the series in September, are bottom with only one point.
Nigeria and Sierra Leone clash at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Stadium in Monrovia on Sunday, 18 June, as Sierra Leone do not have any stadium in their country approved for international matches.
A win for the Super Eagles will secure them a place at the AFCON tournament scheduled for January 2024.
Below are the list of invited players;
Goalkeepers: Adebayo Adeleye (Hapoel Jerusalem, Israel); Victor Sochima (Rivers United); Olorunleke Ojo (Enyimba FC)
Defenders: William Ekong (Watford FC, England); Calvin Bassey (Ajax FC, The Netherlands); Kevin Akpoguma (TSG Hoffenheim, Germany); Chidiebube Duru (Rivers United); Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion, England); Kenneth Omeruo (CD Leganes, Spain); Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto, Portugal); Bright Osayi-Samuel (Fenerbahce FC, Turkey)
Midfielders: Joseph Ayodele-Aribo (Southampton FC, England); Alex Iwobi (Everton FC, England); Divine Nwachukwu (Bendel Insurance); Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Frank Onyeka (Brentford FC, England)
Forwards: Moses Simon (Nantes FC, France); Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal FC, Spain); Ademola Lookman (Atalanta FC, Italy); Victor Osimhen (SSC Napoli, Italy); Taiwo Awoniyi (Nottingham Forest, England); Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City, England); Ahmed Musa (Sivasspor K, Turkey).
Though some Football enthusiasts and fans have queries the invitation of Joe Aribo into the team.
Aribo has been frozen out of the first team of the already relegated, Southampton Football Club of England, and hasn’t played any competitive game for the Saints as they are called in the past two months.
So inviting him for the AFCON Qualifiers has generated mixed feelings, but Coach Peseiro has continually said that the invited players merited their places in the team.
