Eight NPFL stars get invitation for Mexico, Ecuador friendly matches

The clamour to have players from the domestic scene in the Super Eagles set-up has yielded some positive results as eight players from the NPFL were named in the latest national team roster released on Tuesday.

With the Super Eagles yet to get a substantive manager, the team’s First Assistant Coach, Salisu Yusuf, has released a list of 30 players for the upcoming international friendly matches against the ‘A’ Men National Teams of Mexico and Ecuador in the United States of America.

Yusuf, who is also Head Coach of the CHAN and the U23 teams, has included eight home-based professional players, including goalkeepers Adewale Adeyinka and Ojo Olorunleke, defender Ibrahim Buhari, and forwards Victor Mbaoma and Ishaq Rafiu.

Aside from the players from the home front, the likes of Captain Ahmed Musa his vice William Troost-Ekong and forward Moses Simon are all included in the 30-man roster.

However, regular faces like Kelechi Iheanacho and Alex Iwobi were not considered for the double friendlies.

Three-time African champions Nigeria will clash with CONCACAF powerhouse Mexico at the AT & T Stadium in Dallas, Texas on Saturday, 28th May, before flying to New Jersey to tackle Ecuador at the Red Bull Arena in Harrison on Thursday, 2nd June.

As specified in the official press statement issued by the NFF, only 25 players will make the final list for the tour, which is preparatory to next month’s 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches.

The Super Eagles are up against Sierra Leone in Abuja on June 9 and São Tomé & Príncipe in Marrakech, Morocco on June 13.

Full List

Goalkeepers: Maduka Okoye (Sparta Rotterdam, The Netherlands); Adewale Adeyinka (Akwa United); Ojo Olorunleke (Enyimba FC)

READ ALSO: NPFL Round-Up: Stalemate in Uyo as Rivers United humiliate MFM FC in Port Harcourt

Defenders: Olaoluwa Aina (Torino FC, Italy); Abdullahi Shehu (AC Omonia, Cyprus); Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto, Portugal); William Ekong (Watford FC, England); Leon Balogun (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland); Isa Ali (Remo Stars); Chidozie Awaziem (Alanyaspor FC, Turkey); Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion, England); Calvin Bassey (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland); Ibrahim Buhari (Plateau United)

Midfielders: Joseph Ayodele-Aribo (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland); Alex Iwobi (Everton FC, England); Oghenekaro Etebo (Watford FC, England); Chiamaka Madu (Rivers United); Babatunde Afeez Nosiru (Kwara United); Azubuike Okechukwu (Yeni Malatyaspor, Turkey); Samson Tijani (Red Bull Salzburg, Austria); Alhassan Yusuf (Royal Antwerp FC, Belgium)

Forwards: Ahmed Musa (Fatih Karagumruk, Turkey); Moses Simon (FC Nantes, France); Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal FC, Spain); Ademola Lookman (Leicester City, England); Sadiq Umar (UD Almeria, Spain); Emmanuel Dennis (Watford FC, England); Cyriel Dessers (Feyenoord FC, The Netherlands); Victor Mbaoma (Enyimba FC); Ishaq Rafiu (Rivers United)