The Technical Adviser of the Super Eagles of Nigeria, Gernot Rohr, has released the list of invited players into the Super Eagles for the matches against Benin Republic and Lesotho in the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying games. The list includes Captain Ahmed Musa who has no club at the moment, Deputy Captain, William Ekong, Goalkeeper Francis Uzoho, midfielder Wilfred Ndidi and forward Victor Osimhen of Napoli, Italy.
Others include Goalkeeper of Enyimba FC, John Noble; defenders Leon Balogun, Kenneth Omeruo, Ekong and Olaoluwa Aina; midfielders Wilfred Ndidi, etc. See full lost below.
Sadiq Umar who plays professional football in Spain was invited for the first time to the senior national team.
Seven other players, including goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi, are on standby.
The Super Eagles currently tops Group E with eight points, one point ahead of Benin Republic, and five points ahead of third-placed Sierra Leone. The Nigerian team will playing the Squirrels of Benin Republic at the Stade Charles de Gaulle in Porto Novo on Saturday, 27th March; and will take on the Crocodiles of Lesotho at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos, four days after returning from Benin.
Rohr is targeting to qualify Nigeria earlier with the two games to pick a ticket to the finals in Cameroon.
Full list of invited players:
Goalkeepers: Francis Uzoho (APOEL Nicosia, Cyprus); John Noble (Enyimba FC); Maduka Okoye (Sparta Rotterdam, The Netherlands)
Defenders: Kenneth Omeruo (CD Leganes, Spain); Leon Balogun (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland); Chidozie Awaziem (FC Boavista, Portugal); William Ekong (Watford FC, England); Olaoluwa Aina (Fulham FC, England); Jamilu Collins (SC Padeborn 07, Germany); Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto, Portugal); Tyronne Ebuehi (FC Twente, The Netherlands)
Midfielders: Oghenekaro Etebo (Galatasaray FC, Turkey); Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Abdullahi Shehu (Omonia Nicosa, Cyprus); Joseph Ayodele-Aribo (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland); Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion, England)
Forwards: Ahmed Musa (Unattached); Alex Iwobi (Everton FC, England); Sadiq Umar (Almeria FC, Spain); Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal FC, Spain); Victor Osimhen (Napoli FC, Italy); Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City, England); Samuel Kalu (FC Girondins Bordeaux, France); Moses Simon (FC Nantes, France)
The 7 players on Standby are : Daniel Akpeyi (Kaizer Chiefs, South Africa); Henry Onyekuru (Galatasaray FC, Turkey); Peter Olayinka (Slavia Praha, Czech Republic); Terem Moffi (FC Lorient, France); Paul Onuachu (KRC Genk, Belgium); Michael Olise (Reading FC, England); Adekunle Adeleke (Abia Warriors).