Côte d’Ivoire 2023: Musa, Ekong, Osimhen make Nigeria final squad for AFCON
Jose Peseiro, the head coach of the Nigeria national team, Super Eagles, has named the final team squad for the 2023 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) scheduled for Côte d’Ivoire in January.
Three goalkeepers, nine defenders, five midfielders and eight forwards were included in the three-time winners’ final squad list that was announced by the Nigeria Football Federation on Friday.
As expected, Victor Osimhen, Victor Boniface, Ademola Lookman, Kelechi Iheanacho, Wilfred Ndidi, and Oluwasemilogo Ajayi made the list while William Troost-Ekong and Ahmed Musa were included after being left out initially.
Chippa United goalkeeper Stanley Nwabili was named in the squad, an attempt by the coach to find an alternative in the goalkeeping position, which has been a serious issue for the team in recent matches.
Another goalkeeper in the squad is Enyimba goalkeeper Olorunleke Ojo, the only Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) player in Nigeria’s squad for the AFCON.
Nigeria is drawn in Group A of the tournament alongside host nation Côte d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea and Guinea-Bissau.
The full squad:
Goalkeepers
Stanley Nwabili (Chippa United, South Africa)
Francis Uzoho (Omonia FC, Cyprus)
Olorunleke Ojo (Enyimba FC)
Defenders
Olaoluwa Aina (Nottingham Forest, England)
Chidozie Awaziem (Boavista FC, Portugal)
Bright Osayi-Samuel (Fenerbahce FC, Turkey)
William Troost-Ekong (PAOK Salonika, Greece)
Bruno Onyemaechi (Boavista FC, Portugal)
Kenneth Omeruo (Kasimpasa FC, Turkey)
Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion, England)
Calvin Bassey (Fulham FC, England)
Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto, Portugal)
Midfielders
Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England)
Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium)
Joe Ayodele-Aribo (Southampton FC, England)
Frank Onyeka (Brentford FC, England)
Alex Iwobi (Fulham FC, England)
Forwards
Ahmed Musa (Sivasspor K, Turkey)
Victor Osimhen (Napoli SC, Italy)
Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City, England)
Sadiq Umar (Real Sociedad, Spain)
Moses Simon (FC Nantes, France)
Ademola Lookman (Atalanta FC, Italy)
Samuel Chukwueze (AC Milan, Italy)
Victor Boniface (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany)
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