Head coach Augustine Eguavoen has released his final list of Super Eagles players for the 33rd African Cup of Nations (AFCON), with recovering forward Victor Osimhen making the cut.
Ademola Olajire, communications director for the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF), in a statement on Saturday said that team captain Ahmed Musa and midfielder Wilfred Ndidi were also on the list.
The Nigerian News Agency reports that Nigeria, three-time winners of the competition, are selected in Group D of the event billed for Cameroon from January 9 to February 6.
Nigeria will face Egypt, Sudan and rookies Guinea Bissau, seven-time winners and record-breaking, with their group matches being hosted in the northern city of Garoua.
An appetizing clash with the Pharaohs in the first group on January 11 means the Eagles must hit the ground at a breakneck pace.
Eguavoen has selected four goalkeepers, nine defenders, five midfielders and ten forwards to aim for Nigeria’s fourth victory in Cameroon.
Basically, the list has several of the old names of the team, with Musa, Ndidi, William Ekong, Leon Balogun, Kenneth Omeruo, Odion Ighalo and Daniel Akpeyi being the most notable.
But there is a return to the group for former FIFA U-17 World Cup winning captain Kelechi Nwakali, forward Emmanuel Dennis and 2016 Olympics star Sadiq Umar.
reports that all but some of the invited players were expected to arrive at the camp in Abuja on Wednesday.
Only UK-based players are expected to start arriving on January 3.
THE COMPLETE LIST
Goalkeepers: Francis Uzoho (AC Omonia, Cyprus); John Noble (Enyimba FC); Daniel Akpeyi (Kaizer Chiefs, South Africa); Maduka Okoye (Sparta Rotterdam, The Netherlands)
Defenders: Chidozie Awaziem (Alanyaspor FC, Turkey); Kenneth Omeruo (CD Leganés, 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); Olisa Ndah (Orlando Pirates, South Africa)
Midfielders: Frank Onyeka (Brentford FC, England); Joseph Ayodele-Aribo (Galsgow Rangers, Scotland); Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Chidera Ejuke (CSKA Moscow, Russia); Kelechi Nwakali (SD Huesca, Spain)
Forwards: Ahmed Musa (Fatih Karagumruk, Turkey); Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal FC, Spain); Victor Osimhen (Napoli FC, Italy); Moses Simon (FC tes, France); Sadiq Umar (UD Almería, Spain); Taiwo Awoniyi (Union Berlin, Germany)
Odion Jude Ighalo (Al-Shabab Riyadh, Saudi Arabia); Alex Iwobi (Everton FC, England); Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City, England); Emmanuel Dennis (Watford FC, England).
Source: NAN
