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Thursday, November 7, 2024

Morocco 2025: Osimhen returns as Eguavoen names Sadiq, Osho in 23-man squad for Benin, Rwanda ties

Surprisingly, Real Sociedad Sadiq Umar will be making a comeback to the national team setup after being away for a while.

• November 6, 2024
Super Eagles squad
Super Eagles squad [Credit: Super Eagles ]

After missing from action during the last international break due to injury, forward Victor Osimhen has returned to the Super Eagles fold as interim head coach Augustine Eguavoen named a 23-man squad for Nigeria’s remaining 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches later this month.

Eagles have only two games left in the qualifiers against Benin Republic in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, on November 14 and Rwanda in Uyo, Akwa Ibom, on November 18. Nigeria needs only one point to reach the 2025 Morocco AFCON finals.

With four goals and three assists in seven games for Galatasaray this season, the presence of Osimhen in the team, coupled with the brilliance of free-scoring Ademola Lookman, who is also named in the 23-man squad, will definitely boost Nigeria’s frontline in those two games.

Lookman has scored seven goals and made five assists in 12 games across all competitions for Atalanta this season.

After injury denied him of his maiden national team earlier this year, AJ Auxerre defender Gabriel Osho would hope to avoid the same fate after Eguavoen handed the ex-Luton Town player another call-up for the November games.

Nasarawa United defender Victor Collins will join the new faces in the team with his maiden call-up.

Surprisingly, Real Sociedad Sadiq Umar will be making a comeback to the national team setup after being away for a while. Meanwhile, Kelechi Iheanacho, Maduka Okoye, and Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi also made the list.

The full 23-man squad list:

Goalkeepers: Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United, South Africa); Maduka Okoye (Udinese FC, Italy); Amas Obasogie (Fasil Kenema SC, Ethiopia).

Defenders: William Ekong (Al-Kholood FC, Saudi Arabia); Bright Osayi-Samuel (Fenerbahce SK, Turkey); Bruno Onyemaechi (Boavista FC, Portugal); Gabriel Osho (AJ Auxerre, France); Calvin Bassey (Fulham FC, England); Olaoluwa Aina (Nottingham Forest, England); Victor Collins (Nasarawa United).

Midfielders: Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium); Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi (New England Revolution, USA); Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (Lazio FC. Italy); Frank Onyeka (Augsburg FC, Germany); Alex Iwobi (Fulham FC, England).

Forwards: Samuel Chukwueze (AC Milan, Italy); Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray FC, Turkey); Ademola Lookman (Atalanta FC, Italy); Kelechi Iheanacho (Sevilla FC, Spain); Victor Boniface (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany); Moses Simon (FC Nantes, France); Sadiq Umar (Real Sociedad, Spain) . 

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