Coach Austin Eguaveon has released his squad list for the African Cup of Nations qualifiers against Benin Republic’s Cheetahs and the Amavubis of Rwanda.
The Super Eagles will face Benin November 14 at the Stade Felix-Houphouet-Boigny Stadium in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire and then return to Uyo to handle the Rwanda team, as they attempt to wrap up their qualification for the Morocco 2025 AFCON.
They top group D with ten points after beating Libya in Uyo and of course being awarded the three points when the Libyan Football Federation was punished by CAF for toying with the Nigerian players and officials lives by diverting their plane 300km away from Benghazi and holding them hostage for 17 hours at a disused airport.
Strikers Lookman Ademola, Moses Simon, Victor Boniface and Samuel Chukwueze, Kelechi Iheanacho will be joined by Victor Osimhen who missed the last qualifier against Libya due to injury. Sadiq Umar is also making a return to the team.
Eguavoen also kept faith with goalkeepers Stanley Nwabali and Maduka Okoye, defenders William Troosts Ekong, Calvin Bassey and Bright Osayi-Samuel, as well as midfielders Frank Onyeka, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru and Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi. Home-based defender Victor Collins will join up with the group for the first time.
Goalkeepers: Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United, South Africa); Maduka Okoye (Udinese FC, Italy); Amas Obasogie (Fasil Kenema SC, Ethiopia)
Defenders: William Ekong (Al-Kholood FC, Saudi Arabia); Bright Osayi-Samuel (Fenerbahce SK, Turkey); Bruno Onyemaechi (Boavista FC, Portugal); Gabriel Osho (AJ Auxerre, France); Calvin Bassey (Fulham FC, England); Olaoluwa Aina (Nottingham Forest, England); Victor Collins (Nasarawa United)
Midfielders: Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium); Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi (New England Revolution, USA); Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (Lazio FC. Italy); Frank Onyeka (Augsburg FC, Germany); Alex Iwobi (Fulham FC, England)
Forwards: Samuel Chukwueze (AC Milan, Italy); Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray FC, Turkey); Ademola Lookman (Atalanta FC, Italy); Kelechi Iheanacho (Sevilla FC, Spain); Victor Boniface (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany); Moses Simon (FC Nantes, France); Sadiq Umar (Real Sociedad, Spain)
