Nigeria: Peseiro Makes Changes As Injury Knocks Out Two Super Eagles Stars Ahead of Double-Friendly

8 October 2023
Premium Times (Abuja)
By Tunde Eludini

The Super Eagles will face the Green Falcons of Saudi Arabia in Portimão, Portugal, on Friday, 13 October, before they take on the Mambas of Mozambique in the same city three days later.

The Super Eagles coach Jose Peseiro has announced two forced changes in his roster for the upcoming friendly matches against Saudi Arabia and Mozambique.

The Nottingham Forest duo of Ola Aina and Taiwo Awoniyi who were on the original list of players invited for the October friendly games have now been excused.

They have been replaced by Italy-based Tyronne Ebuehi and Sadiq Umar who plies his trade with Spanish club Real Sociedad.

Aina and Awoniyi were missing in action at the weekend as Forest battled to a barren draw against Crystal Palace in a Premier League tie at Selhurst Park.

It is expected that their late replacements, Umar and Ebuehi, will make the most of this chance to force themselves back to the Super Eagles mainstream having been relegated to the fringes in recent times.

The Super Eagles are set to face the Green Falcons of Saudi Arabia in Portimão, Portugal, on Friday, 13 October before they take on the Mambas of Mozambique in the same city three days later.

As stated by the Nigeria Football Federation, all players are anticipated to arrive in Faro, Portugal, on Tuesday, 10 October to begin preparation for the upcoming matches.

Both fixtures have been strategically scheduled as preparatory games for the Super Eagles ahead of the commencement of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches.

In these qualifiers, the three-time African champions are slated to host Lesotho's Crocodiles in Uyo on 17 November, followed by an away match against Zimbabwe four days later.

UPDATED INVITED PLAYERS LIST:

Goalkeepers: Francis Uzoho (Omonia FC, Cyprus); Olorunleke Ojo (Enyimba FC); Adebayo Adeleye (Hapoel Jerusalem, Israel)

Defenders: Tryonne Ebuehi (Empoli, Italy); Bright Osayi-Samuel (Fenerbahce FC, Turkey); Jordan Torunarigha (KAA Gent, Belgium); Kenneth Omeruo (Kasimpasa FC, Turkey); Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion, England); Calvin Bassey (Fulham FC, England); Jamilu Collins (Cardiff FC, Wales); Bruno Onyemaechi (Boavista FC, Portugal)

Midfielders: Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium); Joe Ayodele-Aribo (Southampton FC, England); Frank Onyeka (Brentford FC, England); Alex Iwobi (Fulham FC, England); Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (Hatayaspor FC, Turkey)

Forwards: Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City, England); Samuel Chukwueze (AC Milan, Italy); Moses Simon (FC Nantes, France); Ademola Lookman (Atalanta FC, Italy); Victor Osimhen (SSC Napoli, Italy); Sadiq Umar (Real Sociedad, Spain); Terem Moffi (OGC Nice, France); Victor Boniface (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany)

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