Head Coach Gernot Rohr has listed Odion Ighalo, Wilfred Ndidi and 22 others for Super Eagles’ closing Group C games of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 qualifiers against Liberia and Cape Verde this month.
The list was officially released on Monday by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Communications Department.
The Super Eagles will tackle the Lone Star of Liberia at the Grand Stade Tangier in Morocco on Saturday, 13th November and then fly into Lagos for the final group game against Cape Verde’s Blue Sharks at the Teslim Balogun Stadium on Tuesday, 16th November.
Top of their pool with nine points but hotly chased by seven-pointer Cape Verde who host Central African Republic on the island of Mindelo, the Eagles need the three points against the Lone Star on the neutral turf of Morocco’s principal northern city to remain on firm ground when hosting the Blue Sharks three days later in Nigeria’s commercial and industrial capital.
Rohr has this time extended invitation to 2019 Africa Cup of Nations’ top scorer Ighalo, who announced his retirement from the international game following that AFCON feat in Egypt.
Leicester City of England’s midfield enforcer Ndidi, who missed the last round of games home-and-away against Central African Republic, is back in the team, just as fellow Premier League star Alex Iwobi and Spain-based forward Samuel Chukwueze.
Also listed for the crucial games are regulars like skipper Ahmed Musa, Leon Balogun, William Troost-Ekong, Kelechi Iheanacho, Moses Simon, Maduka Okoye and Chidera Ejuke. Other players listed are Francis Uzoho, Daniel Akpeyi, Kevin Akpoguma, Jamilu Collins, Joe Aribo among others.
The invited players and overseas-based members of the technical crew are to report directly to the city of Tangier on Monday, 8th November while technical officials from Nigeria are to report in Tangier the same day.
Eagles 24-man squad for Liberia and Cape Verde:
Goalkeepers: Francis Uzoho (AC Omonia, Cyprus); Daniel Akpeyi (Kaizer Chiefs, South Africa); Maduka Okoye (Sparta Rotterdam, The Netherlands)
Defenders: Chidozie Awaziem (Alanyaspor FC, Turkey); Kenneth Omeruo (CD Leganes, Spain); Leon Balogun (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland); William Ekong (Watford FC, England); Olaoluwa Aina (Torino FC, Italy); Jamilu Collins (SC Padeborn 07, Germany); Abdullahi Shehu (AC Omonia, Cyprus); Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto, Portugal); Kevin Akpoguma (TSG Hoffenheim, Germany)
Midfielders: Frank Onyeka (Brentford FC, England); Joseph Ayodele-Aribo (Galsgow Rangers, Scotland); Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Alex Iwobi (Everton FC, England); Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City, England)
Forwards: Ahmed Musa (Fatih Karagumruk, Turkey); Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal FC, Spain); Victor Osimhen (Napoli FC, Italy); Moses Simon (FC Nantes, France); Paul Onuachu (KRC Genk, Belgium); Chidera Ejuke (CSKA Moscow, Russia); Odion Jude Ighalo (Al-Shabab Riyadh, Saudi Arabia)
