Nigeria Name Squad For Ivory Coast And Tunisia Friendly Games

Nigeria national team head coach Gernot Rohr has announced a 23-man squad to play against Ivory Coast and Tunisia in back-to-back international friendly matches.

It’s a mixture of experienced veterans and youth, which also sees the return of those who were earlier banished to the wilderness by the German tactician.

In the first fixture, the Super Eagles will take on the Elephants on Friday, October 9 at the Ernst Happel Stadium in Austria with kick-off at 2300 Central African Time.

The Super Eagles will then face the Carthage Eagles in the second fixture that will be played on Tuesday, October 13 at the same venue.

Rohr has named six debutants, Chidera Ejuke from CSKA Moscow, Genk striker Cyriel Dessers, Matthew Yakubu, new Porto signing Zaidu Sanusi and Samson Tijani and Frank Onyeka.

There is also a recall for Leicester City striker Kelechi Iheanacho, goalkeeper Dele Alampasu and Portugal-based midfielder Mikel Agu.

Victor Osimhen, now in Italy with Napoli, and former U-17 World Cup winner Samuel Chukwueze have also been recalled to the Nigeria squad.

The two matches will help coach Rohr to galvanize his squad ahead of back-to-back 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Sierra Leone in November.

Full squad:

Goalkeepers: Dele Alampasu (FK Ventspils/LAT), Matthew Yakubu (SKF Sered/SLO), Maduka Okoye (Sparta Rotterdam/NED)

Defenders: Kenneth Omeruo (CD Leganes/SEP), Leon Balogun (Glasgow Rangers/SCO), Chidozie Awaziem (FC Boavista/POR), William Ekong (Udinese FC/ITA), Ola Aina (Fulham FC/ENG), Jamilu Collins (SC Paderborn 07/GER), Semi Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion/ENG), Zaidu Sanusi (Porto/POR)

Midfielders: Mikel Agu (Vitoria Guimaraes/POR), Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City/ENG), Frank Onyeka (Midtjylland/DEN), Oghenekaro Etebo (Galatasary/TUR), Samson Tijani (TSV Hartberg/AUT)

Forwards: Ahmed Musa (Al Nassr/KSA), Alex Iwobi (Everton/ENG), Victor Osimhen (Napoli/ITA), Moses Simon (Nantes/FRA), Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal FC/SPA), Cyriel Dessers (Genk/BEL); Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City/ENG), Samuel Kalu (Bordeaux/FRA), Chidera Ejuke (CSKA Moscow/RUS)