Head coach of Nigeria’s Super Eagles, Gernot Rohr has handed recalls to forwards Odion Ighalo and Samuel Chukwueze ahead of the team’s final Qatar 2022 World Cup qualifying tests this November.
Rohr has not hidden his desire to have Ighalo back with the team for the past twelve months and the German has been granted his wish by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) whose President Amaju Pinnick had announced the imminence of the recall on social media last week.
On Monday, the Federation published a list of twenty-four players expected to prosecute the final group stage games against Liberia and Cape Verde this November with the names of Ighalo, Chukwueze as well as that of England based duo Wilfred Ndidi and Alex Iwobi resurfacing after some time out.
While Ighalo and Chukwueze have been long term absentees for the team, the former having announced his international retirement after the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations; Ndidi and Iwobi missed the team’s last outings on October due to injuries.
The Super Eagles will face the Lone Star of Liberia at the Grand Stade in Tangier, Morocco on Saturday, November 13 before returning to Nigeria for the final group game against Cape Verde at the Teslim Balogun Stadium on Tuesday, November 16.
Nigeria currently lead the group with nine points from four matches while Cape Verde are second with seven points from same number of matches.
FULL SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Francis Uzoho (AC Omonia, Cyprus); 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); Kevin Akpoguma (TSG Hoffenheim, Germany)
Midfielders: Frank Onyeka (Brentford FC, England); Joseph Ayodele-Aribo (Galsgow Rangers, Scotland); Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Alex Iwobi (Everton FC, England); Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City, England)
Forwards: Ahmed Musa (Fatih Karagumruk, Turkey); Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal FC, Spain); Victor Osimhen (Napoli FC, Italy); Moses Simon (FC Nantes, France); Paul Onuachu (KRC Genk, Belgium); Chidera Ejuke (CSKA Moscow, Russia); Odion Jude Ighalo (Al-Shabab Riyadh, Saudi Arabia)
