By Akinwale Kasali
As the Super Eagles of Nigeria prepares for the cracker against two African giants, the Carthage Eagles of Tunisia and the Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire Coach Gernot Rohr has rolled out a list that would be part of the team’s first match in 2020.
The Covid-19 Pandemic saw the Super Eagles idle. Now, Rohr is eager to test the ability of his team.
Rohr, the Coach and Technical Adviser, of the National team has called up 25 players ahead of next month’s friendly matches scheduled for Austria.
Five players have been put on standby in case of any sudden withdrawal for any reason.
The team Captain, Ahmed Musa, Kenneth Omeruo, William Ekong and Wilfred Ndidi, top the list of invited players.
Frank Onyeka and Chidera Ejuke are new invitees into the team and would be battle ready to prove their mettle.
2013 Former Under-17 World Cup winning goalkeeper, Dele Alampasu returns to the team, as well as midfielder Mikel Agu.
Captain of the Nigeria Under-17 Golden Eaglets squad to Brazil in 2019, Samson Tijani, will join up with the elite, as well as Portugal-based exciting wing back Zaidu Sanusi.
Goalkeeper Maduka Okoye, now in The Netherlands, is heading to Austria as England-based forward Kelechi Iheanacho also returns.
Victor Osimhen, now in Italy with Napoli, and another former U-17 World Cup winner, Samuel Chukwueze, are also called.
The Super Eagles, now ranked 29th in the world and third in Africa, will take on the Elephants on October 9 and four days later, engage the Carthage Eagles, who are second in Africa in the rankings.
Both games have been arranged by the Nigeria Football Federation to prepare the Eagles for the next rounds of 2022 AFCON qualifiers, home and away against Sierra Leone in November.
The Full List
Goalkeepers: Dele Alampasu (FK Ventspils, Latvia); Matthew Yakubu (SKF Sered, Slovakia); Maduka Okoye (Sparta Rotterdam, The Netherlands)
Defenders: Kenneth Omeruo (CD Leganes, Spain); Leon Balogun (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland); Chidozie Awaziem (FC Boavista, Portugal); William Ekong (Udinese FC, Italy); Olaoluwa Aina (Fulham FC, England); Jamilu Collins (SC Padeborn 07, Germany); Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion, England); Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto, Portugal)
Midfielders: Mikel Agu (Vitoria Guimaraes, Portugal); Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Frank Onyeka (FC Midtjylland, Denmark); Oghenekaro Etebo (Galatasary SK, Turkey); Samson Tijani (TSV Hartberg, Austria)
Forwards: Ahmed Musa (Al Nassr, Saudi Arabia); Alex Iwobi (Everton FC, England); Victor Osimhen (SSC Napoli, Italy); Moses Simon (FC Nantes, France); Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal FC, Spain); Cyril Dessers (KRC Genk, Belgium); Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City, England); Samuel Kalu (Girondins Bordeaux, France); Chidera Ejuke (CSKA Moscow, Russia)
Standby: Abdullahi Shehu (Bursaspor, Turkey); Ramon Azeez (Granada CF, Spain); Joshua Maja (Girondins Bordeaux, France); Henry Onyekuru (AS Monaco, France); Tyronne Ebuehi (Twente, Holland).
