NFF has released a 28-man list for the 2021 AFCON tournament, curiously, Victor Osimhen made the list
By Kehinde Okeowo
Super Eagles gaffer, Augustine Eguavoen has selected his 28-man list for the 33rd Africa Cup of Nations taking place in Cameroon from January 9 to February 6, 2022.
The list which comprises four goalkeepers, nine defenders, five midfielders, and ten forwards, has just one Nigerian-based player.
It was made public by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), today, Saturday, December 2021 nearly 2 weeks before the commencement of the competition.
According to the statement released, “All invited players, bar the UK-based crew, are expected to arrive in camp in Nigeria’s federal capital, Abuja on 29th December, with the UK-based players expected to start arriving on Monday, 3rd January,”
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Huesca’s Kelechi Nwakalu, Union Berlin’s Taiwo Awoniyi, Almeria striker Sadiq Umar and in-form Watford forward Emmanuel Dennis were included in the team.
Some other regular faces who were invited by Eguavoen to the squad included Scottish and English Premier League players Leon Balogun, Joe Aribo, William Troost-Ekong, Alex Iwobi, Kelechi Iheanacho and, Wilfred Ndidi
Victor Osimhen who is recovering from a facial injury and the club’s captain Ahmed Musa also made the list.
However, there’s no place for Venezia’s Tyronne Ebuehi, while Olisa Ndah of Orlando Pirates got his maiden call-up to the team.
The Eagles are in Group D with Egypt, Guinea-Bissau and, Sudan at the 2021 AFCON
Eagles interim coach and former Nigerian captain Eguavoen was in charge of the Nigerian team when they finished in third-place at AFCON in Egypt 15 years ago.
SUPER EAGLES’ FULL SQUAD FOR AFCON
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 Leganes, 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 (Glasgow 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 Nantes, France); Sadiq Umar (UD Almeria, 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)
