Yusuf shuns Ighalo, Iheanacho, invites eight home-based players for Mexico, Ecuador friendlies
Super Eagles’ first assistant coach, Salisu Yusuf, has listed 30 players, including eight home-based professionals, but excluding the foreign-based duo of Odion Ighalo and Kelechi Iheanacho, for upcoming international friendlies.
The list, released on Tuesday by the communications department of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), has, as usual, team captain Ahmed Musa and forward Moses Simon.
The list was released ahead of the international friendlies against the “A” Men National Teams of Mexico and Ecuador, scheduled for the U.S.
The Super Eagles will clash with CONCACAF powerhouse Mexico at the AT & T Stadium in Dallas, the State of Texas, on May 28.
They will then head to New Jersey to tackle Ecuador at the Red Bull Arena in Harrison on June 2.
Yusuf, who is also head coach of the CHAN and national under-23 teams, has included home-based goalkeepers Adewale Adeyinka and Ojo Olorunleke, who are to support the returning Maduka Okoye.
He also called up defender Ibrahim Buhari and forwards Victor Mbaoma and Ishaq Rafiu, with the home-based players being two goalkeepers, two defenders, two midfielders and two forwards.
Only 25 of the 30 players will make the final list for the tour, which is preparatory to next month’s 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying matches.
The qualifiers are against Sierra Leone in Abuja (June 9) and SĂŁo TomĂ© & PrĂncipe in Marrakech, Morocco (June 13).
FULL LIST
Goalkeepers: Maduka Okoye (Sparta Rotterdam, The Netherlands); Adewale Adeyinka (Akwa United); Ojo Olorunleke (Enyimba International FC).
Defenders: Olaoluwa Aina (Torino FC, Italy); Abdullahi Shehu (AC Omonia, Cyprus); Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto, Portugal); William Ekong (Watford FC, England); Leon Balogun (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland); Isa Ali (Remo Stars); Chidozie Awaziem (Alanyaspor FC, Turkey); Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion, England); Calvin Bassey (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland); Ibrahim Buhari (Plateau United).
Midfielders: Joseph Ayodele-Aribo (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland); Alex Iwobi (Everton FC, England); Oghenekaro Etebo (Watford FC, England); Chiamaka Madu (Rivers United); Babatunde Afeez Nosiru (Kwara United); Azubuike Okechukwu (Yeni Malatyaspor, Turkey), Samson Tijani (Red Bull Salzburg, Austria); Alhassan Yusuf (Royal Antwerp FC, Belgium).
Forwards: Ahmed Musa (Fatih Karagumruk, Turkey); Moses Simon (FC Nantes, France); Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal FC, Spain); Ademola Lookman (Leicester City, England); Sadiq Umar (UD Almeria, Spain); Emmanuel Dennis (Watford FC, England); Cyriel Dessers (Feyenoord FC, The Netherlands); Victor Mbaoma (Enyimba FC); Ishaq Rafiu (Rivers United).
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