By Akinwale Kasali
The Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, has announced the list of invited Super Eagles Players that will prosecute the double-header against the Black Stars of Ghana for the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup ticket.
In the Squad list released by NFF Friday, March 4, it recalled Al Hilal Football Club of Saudi Arabia, Odion Jude Ighalo and Watford Football Club of England Emmanuel Dennis, who both missed the 2021 African Cup of Nations in Cameroon, and invited Leicester City Football Club of England player, Ademola Lookman, who recently switched allegiance to Nigeria. They are among the 25-man squad invited for the clash.
Also called up were goalkeepers Maduka Okoye and Daniel Akpeyi, defenders Kenneth Omeruo, Oluwasemilogo Ajayi and Abdullahi Shehu, midfielders Oghenekaro Etebo and Joseph Ayodele-Aribo, and forwards Victor Osimhen and Samuel Chukwueze.
Seven players were also placed on standby, including forwards Taiwo Awoniyi and Peter Olayinka, defender Chidozie Awaziem and long-time absentee Ogenyi Onazi.
According to a statement by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), the Super Eagles camp will open in Abuja on 21st March, with a 24–man final list for the two big games to be released at a later date.
The first leg will take place on March 25 in Ghana and the second leg will take place on March 29 in Nigeria.
Full Provisional Squad:
Goalkeepers: Francis Uzoho (AC Omonia, Cyprus); Daniel Akpeyi (Kaizer Chiefs, South Africa); Maduka Okoye (Sparta Rotterdam, The Netherlands)
Defenders: Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion, England); Kenneth Omeruo (CD Leganes, Spain); Leon Balogun (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland); William Ekong (Watford FC, England); Olaoluwa Aina (Torino FC, Italy); Calvin Bassey (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland); Abdullahi Shehu (AC Omonia, Cyprus); Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto, Portugal).
Midfielders: Frank Onyeka (Brentford FC, England); Joseph Ayodele-Aribo (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland); Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Oghenekaro Etebo (Watford FC, England); Akinkunmi Amoo (FC Copenhagen, Denmark)
Forwards: Ahmed Musa (Fatih Karagumruk, Turkey); Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal FC, Spain); Victor Osimhen (Napoli FC, Italy); Moses Simon (FC Nantes, France); Sadiq Umar (UD Almeria, Spain); Odion Jude Ighalo (Al-Hilal FC, Saudi Arabia); Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City, England); Emmanuel Dennis (Watford FC, England); Ademola Lookman (Leicester City, England)
Standby: Chidozie Awaziem (Alanyaspor FC, Turkey); Jamilu Collins (SC Padeborn 07, Germany); Chidera Ejuke (CSKA Moscow, Russia); Taiwo Awoniyi (Union Berlin, Germany); Paul Onuachu (KRC Genk, Belgium); Peter Olayinka (SK Slavia Praha, Czech Republic); Ogenyi Onazi (Al-Adalah FC, Saudi Arabia
