Abidjan cracker: Keshi invites 24 Eagles

Super Eagles’ Head Coach, Stephen Keshi,  yesterday called to camp 24 players who will fight for shirts in the 2014 African Nations Championship final qualifying leg against the Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire, in Abidjan on July 27.

All the players are expected to report in Abuja on Monday, 15th July.

Only 20 players will make the trip to Cote d’Ivoire’s industrial and economic capital on July 24.

[caption id="attachment_354537" align="alignnone" width="412"] CELEBRATION . . . Super Eagles defender Efe Ambrose (2nd R) celebrates with an acrobatic display after Nigeria defeated Ethiopia 2-0 in their last Group C match of AFCON 2013 at the Royal Bafokeng stadium in Rustenburg. Photo: AFP[/caption]

Keshi has invited four new players, including one defender, one midfielder and two strikers, in line with a pledge to inject a few new faces following last Saturday’s opening leg win at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium,

Kaduna.

Kwara United’s former junior international defender Ganiyu Ogungbe,

Kano Pillars’ midfielder Rabiu Mohammed, junior international striker

Abdullahi Gero of Enugu Rangers and Osadinye Joseph of Warri Wolves

are the new birds at hand.

Ace playmaker Sunday Mba, who scored two goals and made two others in the commanding 4-1 win, tops the list that also includes goalkeeper and skipper Chigozie Agbim, defenders Godfrey Oboabona, Azubuike

Egwuekwe and Chibuzor Okonkwo, as well as midfielders Olufemi Oladapo and Ayo Saka, and forwards Muhammad Gambo, Ifeanyi Edeh and Dele Olorundare.

Having never previously qualified for the African Nations Championship– the flagship tournament for players plying their trade in their country’s domestic League in the continent – Nigeria has a firm leg in next year’s finals in South Africa, and Coach Keshi has promised there would be no room for the Ivorians to attempt a spectacular come-back in the return leg at the Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny.

THE FULL LIST

GOALKEEPERS: Chigozie Agbim (Enugu Rangers FC); Daniel Akpeyi (Heartland FC)

DEFENDERS: Azubuike Egwuekwe (Warri Wolves FC); Godfrey Oboabona (Sunshine Stars FC); Ganiyu Ogungbe (Kwara United FC); Kwambe Solomon
(Sunshine Stars FC); Chibuzor Okonkwo (Enugu Rangers FC); Kunle Odunlami (Sunshine Stars FC); Benjamin Francis (Heartland FC); Ezekiel Bassey (Lobi Stars FC)

MIDFIELDERS: Sunday Mba (Enugu Rangers FC); Rabiu Mohammed (Kano
Pillars FC); Olufemi Oladapo (Shooting Stars FC); Ayo Saka (Enyimba
FC); Mohammed Jiya (Bayelsa United FC)

STRIKERS: Muhammad Gambo (Kano Pillars); Gomo Onduku (Bayelsa United
FC); Ifeanyi Edeh (Enyimba FC); Ezekiel Mbah (Akwa United FC);
Abdullahi Gero (Enugu Rangers FC); Osadinye Joseph (Warri Wolves FC);
Haruna Babalo (El-Kanemi Warriors FC); Etebo Oghene (Warri Wolves FC);
Dele Olorundare (Sunshine Stars FC) (Bayelsa United FC)
STRIKERS: Muhammad Gambo (Kano Pillars); Gomo Onduku (Bayelsa United
FC); Ifeanyi Edeh (Enyimba FC); Ezekiel Mbah (Akwa United FC);
Abdullahi Gero (Enugu Rangers FC); Osadinye Joseph (Warri Wolves FC);
Haruna Babalo (El-Kanemi Warriors FC); Etebo Oghene (Warri Wolves FC);
Dele Olorundare (Sunshine Stars FC)