Super Eagles Technical Adviser, Gernot Rohr has handed out invitations to 30 players ahead of next month’s opening rounds of the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign.
The Eagles will begin their race to Qatar 2022 with a home game against the Lone Stars of Liberia in Lagos on Friday, September 3 (Day 1), and tackle Cape Verde in Mindelo on Tuesday, September 7(Day 2).
Rohr has largely opted to work with the bulk of players he has tried and trusts to get Nigeria to Qatar next November.
The Franco-German tactician invited team stalwarts like the two goalkeepers Maduka Okoye and Francis Uzoho; defenders William Troost-Ekong, Abdullahi Shehu, Chidozie Awaziem, and Leon Balogun, while his trusted midfielders are EPL-based Wilfred Ndidi and Oghenekaro Etebo, while the forward line includes captain Ahmed Musa, Alex Iwobi, Moses Simon, and Victor Osimhen.
Apart from the regulars, there are returns for South Africa-based goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi, defenders Kenneth Omeruo and Kevin Akpoguma, and Greece-based forward Henry Onyekuru. Former junior international Kingsley Michael is also called, while Innocent Bonke from Swedish club, Malmo, joins the Nigerian camp for the first time.
As explained in a press statement issued by the NFF on Thursday, the situation with UK-based players, who cannot travel to Cape Verde (which is on the red list of the British Government with regards to the global coronavirus pandemic) meant the squad had to be enlarged.
The NFF said should the situation remain unchanged, the eight UK-based players on the list would head back to their clubs after the clash with Liberia at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos.
The Super Eagles, who have featured in six of the last seven FIFA World Cup finals, host the Lone Stars of Liberia in Lagos before traveling to the Island of Mindelo to take on the Blue Sharks of Cape Verde on Day 2 of the qualification series.
The Central African Republic is the other team in the group, and they will line up for home-and-away encounters with the Super Eagles in October.
The 30-man list
Goalkeepers: Francis Uzoho (APOEL Nicosia, Cyprus); Daniel Akpeyi (Kaizer Chiefs, South Africa); Maduka Okoye (Sparta Rotterdam, The Netherlands)
Defenders: Chidozie Awaziem (FC Boavista, Portugal); Kenneth Omeruo (CD Leganes, Spain); Leon Balogun (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland); William Ekong (Watford FC, England); Olaoluwa Aina (Torino FC, Italy); Jamilu Collins (SC Paderborn 07, Germany); Abdullahi Shehu (AC Omonia, Cyprus); Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto, Portugal); Kevin Akpoguma (TSG Hoffenheim, Germany)
Midfielders: Oghenekaro Etebo (Watford FC, England); Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Frank Onyeka (Brentford FC, England); Joseph Ayodele-Aribo (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland)
Forwards: Ahmed Musa (Fatih Karagumruk, Turkey); Alex Iwobi (Everton FC, England); Samuel Kalu (FC Bordeaux, France); Victor Osimhen (Napoli FC, Italy); Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City, England); Moses Simon (FC Nantes, France); Paul Onuachu (KRC Genk, Belgium)
Stand-by: Terem Moffi (FC Lorient, France); Henry Onyekuru (Olympiacos FC, Greece); Chidera Ejuke (CSKA Moscow, Russia); Innocent Bonke (Malmo FF, Sweden); Valentine Ozornwafor (Sporting Charleroi, Belgium); Tyronne Ebuehi (Venezia FC, Italy); Kingsley Michael (Bologna FC, Italy)
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