The Super Eagles coach Austin Eguavoen has named Napoli striker Victor Osimhen, Samuel Chukwueze and captain Ahmed Musa in a 32-man provisional squad for this month’s final 2022 World Cup playoffs against rivals Ghana.
Eguavoen also named three uncapped players including Ademola Lookman, Calvin Bassey and Akinkunmi Amoo for the crucial ties while the trio Henry Onyekuru, Alex Iwobi and Kelechi Nwakali were dropped from the squad.
The squad also has Emmanuel Dennis, Oghenekaro Etebo, William Troost-Ekong, Kelechi Iheanacho, Wilfred Ndidi, Moses Simon and Kenneth Omeruo while Taiwo Awoniyi and Peter Olayinka, defender Chidozie Awaziem and long-time absentee Ogenyi Onazi are in a seven-man standby list.
The camp opens in Abuja on March 21, with a 24–man final list for the two big games to be released at a later date.
Nigeria take on Ghana in the 20,000 –capacity Cape Coast Sports Stadium on March 25, with the reverse leg set for the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja on Tuesday, March 29.
The winners over two legs will earn one of Africa’s five tickets to the 22nd edition of the FIFA World Cup finals, scheduled for November 14 to December 18 this year in Qatar.
FULL SQUAD:
Goalkeepers: Francis Uzoho (AC Omonia), Daniel Akpeyi (Kaizer Chiefs), Maduka Okoye (Sparta Rotterdam)
Defenders: Semi Ajayi (West Brom), Kenneth Omeruo (Leganes), Leon Balogun (Glasgow Rangers), William Troost-Ekong (Watford), Ola Aina (Torino), Calvin Bassey (Glasgow Rangers), Abdullahi Shehu (AC Omonia), Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto)
Midfielders: Frank Onyeka (Brentford), Joe Aribo (Glasgow Rangers), Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City), Oghenekaro Etebo (Watford), Akinkunmi Amoo (Copenhagen)
Forwards: Ahmed Musa (Fatih Karagumruk), Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal), Victor Osimhen (Napoli), Moses Simon (Nantes), Sadiq Umar (Almeria), Odion Ighalo (Al-Hilal), Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City), Emmanuel Dennis (Watford FC), Ademola Lookman (Leicester City)
Standby: Chidozie Awaziem (Alanyaspor), Jamilu Collins (Padeborn), Chidera Ejuke (CSKA Moscow), Taiwo Awoniyi (Union Berlin), Paul Onuachu (Genk) Peter Olayinka (Slavia Praha), Ogenyi Onazi (Al-Adalah).
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