The quintet of Taiwo Awoniyi, Cyril Dessers, Tyronne Ebuehi, Sadiq Umar and Wilfred Ndidi will return to national duty as the Super Eagles of Nigeria take on Ghana and Mali in friendlies.
The five men were included in the list of 26 players called up by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to officiate the two friendlies scheduled to be played in Morocco.
Ivory Coast 2023 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) runners-up Nigeria will take on Ghana’s Black Stars and Mali’s Les Aigles in two top-class friendlies in Marrakesh, Morocco later this month.
The clash with Ghana’s Black Stars comes on Friday, March 22. The game is sure to resurrect vintage memories of a 73-year-old rivalry between the two West African giants, dating back to October 1951 when Nigeria bounced Gold Coast 5-0 in the Jalco Cup clash in Lagos.
Meanwhile, Nigeria will go all out to get revenge on Ghana for denying them a place at the last FIFA World Cup finals in Qatar during the qualifiers in March 2022.
Nigeria and Mali, both teams nicknamed the Eagles, last met in a friendly in Rouen, France in the summer of 2016 with the two West African nations drawing 0-0.
The Malian Eagles, three years earlier, had lost 1-4 to eventual winners the Super Eagles in Durban in the semi-finals of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.
While Nigeria and Ghana will resume their rivalry at the Grand Stade de Marrakech from 16:00 Moroccan time on March 22, the Super Eagles will face Mali at the same venue from 21:00 on Tuesday, March 26.
Nigeria, meanwhile, retained most of the squad that finished second in the 34th edition of AFCON 2023, but recalled England-based defender Jamilu Collins as well as Empoli FC of Italy’s Tyronne Ebuehi.
Others recalled are Rangers Glasgow striker Cyril Dessers, attacking midfielder Wilfred Didi, who missed the 2023 AFCON having just returned from injury, while Bayer Leverkusen’s German Nathan Tella and Turkey’s Fisayo Dele-Bashiru have new opportunities to bet on permanent shirts.
England-based defender duo Gabriel Osho and Tanzania-based Benjamin Tianimu are teaming up with the group for the first time.
ALL GUEST PLAYERS:
Goalkeepers: Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United, South Africa); Francis Uzoho (Omonoia, Cyprus); Ojo Olorunleke (Enyimba FC)
Defenders: Gabriel Osho (Luton FC, England); Chidozie Awaziem (Boavista FC, Portugal); Bright Osayi-Samuel (Fenerbahce, Turkey); Tyronne Ebuehi (Empoli FC, Italy); Bruno Onyemaechi (Boavista FC, Portugal); Kenneth Omeruo (Kasimpasa FC, Turkey); Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion, England); Calvin Bassey (Fulham FC, England); Jamilu Collins (Cardiff City, Wales); Benjamin Tianimu (Ihefu SC, Tanzania)
Midfielders: Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium); Alhassan Yusuf (Royal Antwerp FC, Belgium); Frank Onyeka (Brentford FC, England); Alex Iwobi (Fulham FC, England)
Forwards: Nathan Tella (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany); Victor Osimhen (SSC Napoli, Italy); Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City, England); Sadiq Umar (Real Sociedad, Spain); Moses Simon (FC Nantes, France); Ademola Lookman (Atalanta FC, Italy); Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (Hatayspor, Turkey); Taiwo Awoniyi (Nottingham Forest, England); Cyril Dessers (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland)