Yusuf Drops Osimhen, Ighalo, Lists Eight NPFL Players for Mexico, Ecuador Friendlies

Femi Solaja 

Eight players from the domestic Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL), have been listed in a 30-man squad released yesterday by Super Eagles’ First Assistant Coach, Salisu Yusuf for the Mexico and Ecuador international friendlies  scheduled for next month. 

The home-based pros are led by NPFL top scorer, Ishaq Rafiu of Rivers United who has 14 goals to his credit so far this season.

The list is not without notable absentees like Napoli’s Victor Osimhen and AFCON 2019 top scorer Odion Ighalo. 

Captain Ahmed Musa and forward Moses Simon however made the list which had seven other players from the NPFL namely; Goalkeeper Adewale Adeyinka (Akwa United) and Ojo Olorunleke (Enyimba). Others are: Isa Ali (Remo Stars), Ibrahim Buhari (Plateau United), Afeez Nosiru (Kwara United), Chiamaka Madu (Rivers United) and Victor Mbaoma (Enyimba).

Although last year, an entirely players from the domestic league traveled to United State of America for international friendly against Mexico and lost 4-0, this is the first time a large percentage of players from the domestic league will make the squad. 

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

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 against Sierra Leone in Abuja (9th June) and São Tomé & Príncipe in Marrakech, Morocco (13th June). 

INVITED PLAYERS:

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

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)