Racing Charleroi of Belgium’s in-form top striker, Victor Osimhen and equally formidable Paul Onuachu from FC Midtjyland of Denmark have both gained Nigeria’s recognition and reward for their efforts, as their names are included in a list of 23 players invited to the Super Eagles’ camp, sports246.ng gathered.
Osimhen and Onuachu will both be joined in the senior national team camp by youth international, Ozornwafor, who was Flying Eagles’ assistant captain en route to their fourth placed finish at the Africa U-20 Cup of Nations in Niger Republic.
While Onuachu and Ozornwafor get their first invitations to the Eagles, Osimhen is staging a return to the squad, to which he was first invited late 2016 in the early days of the coach, Gernot Rohr.
Rohr’s latest list of invitees also has Al-Nassr striker, Ahmed Musa and Bursaspor of Turkley defender, Shehu Abdullahi, who are both back from recent bouts with injuries, while two players that copped knocks at the weekend, Ola Aina from AS Torino of Italy and Oghenekaro Etebo from Stoke City of England have benefit of the doubt.
They will all link up for this month’s last qualification match for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations against Seychelles and friendly with Egypt, which will both taking place at Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba, Delta State.
Joining Abdullahi and Aina in defence are Leganes of Spain stopper, Kenneth Omeruo, as well as Leon Aderemi Balogun from Brighton of England and William Troost-Ekong from Udinese of Italy.
Midfielders invited alongside Etebo are John Ugochukwu Ogu, Wilfred Onyinyen Ndidi and Alex Iwobi, while the forward line will see Osimhen and Onuachu battle for spots alongside Odion Jude Ighalo, Kelechi Iheanacho, Henry Onyekuru, and Moses Simon, but Villarreal of Spain youngster, Samuel Chukwueze misses out.
The three time African champions confront Seychelles in a dead-rubber game on Friday, 22nd March, starting from 4pm, and then tackle Egypt at same venue in an international friendly four days later.
All invited players, alongside technical and backroom crew, are to report in the Delta State capital on Monday, 18th March.
ROHR’S FULL LIST: Goalkeepers: Francis Uzoho (Anorthosis Famagusta, Cyprus); Ikechukwu Ezenwa (Katsina United); and Daniel Akpeyi (Kaizer Chiefs, South Africa).
Defenders: Olaoluwa Aina (Torino, Italy); Abdullahi Shehu (Bursaspor, Turkey); Valentine Ozornwafor (Enyimba); Chidozie Awaziem (Caykur Rizespor, Turkey); William Troost-Ekong (Udinese, Italy); Leon Balogun (Brighton & Hove Albion, England); Kenneth Omeruo ( Leganes, Spain); Jamilu Collins (SC Padeborn, Germany).
Midfielders: Semi Ajayi (Rotherham United, England); Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Oghenekaro Etebo (Stoke City, England); John Ogu (Hapoel Be’er Sheva, Israel).
Forwards: Ahmed Musa (Al Nassr, Saudi Arabia); Victor Osimhen (Charleroi, Belgium); Moses Simon (Levante, Spain); Henry Onyekuru (Galatasaray, Turkey); Odion Ighalo (Shanghai Shenhua, China); Alex Iwobi (Arsenal, England); Samuel Kalu (Girondins Bordeaux, France); and Paul Onuachu (FC Midtjyland, Denmark).
