Awoniyi, Dessers, Ndidi return as Nigeria face Ghana, Mali in friendlies

The quintet of Taiwo Awoniyi, Cyril Dessers, Tyronne Ebuehi, Sadiq Umar, and Wilfred Ndidi will return to national duties as the Super Eagles of Nigeria face Ghana and Mali in friendly matches.

The five men have been included in the list of 26 players called up by the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) to prosecute the two friendly games scheduled to take place in Morocco.

Nigeria who came second at the 2023 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Ivory Coast will take on Ghana’s Black Stars and Les Aigles of Mali in two top-grade friendly matches in the Moroccan city of Marrakech later this month.

The clash with Ghana’s Black Stars comes up on Friday, March 22. The game is bound to resurrect vintage memories of a 73-year rivalry involving the two West African giants, dating back to October 1951 when Nigeria bounced then Gold Coast 5-0 in a Jalco Cup encounter in Lagos.

Meanwhile, Nigeria will go all out to exact vengeance on Ghana who denied them a place at the last FIFA World Cup finals in Qatar during the qualifiers in March 2022.
 
Nigeria and Mali, both teams nicknamed ‘Eagles’, last met in a friendly match in Rouen, France in the summer of 2016 with the encounter between both West African countries ending in a 0-0 draw.

The Malian Eagles had, three years earlier, lost 1-4 to eventual winners 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 as from 4pm Morocco time on March 22, the Super Eagles will face Mali at the same venue as from 9pm on Tuesday, March 26.
 
Nigeria has, meanwhile, retained the bulk of the squad that finished as runners-up at the 34th edition of the 2023 AFCON but have recalled England-based defender, Jamilu Collins, as well as Empoli FC of Italy’s Tyronne Ebuehi.

Others recalled are Glasgow Rangers’ forward, Cyriel Dessers, midfield enforcer, Wilfred Ndidi, who missed the 2023 AFCON as he just returned from injury, while Bayer Leverkusen of Germany’s Nathan Tella and Turkey-based Fisayo Dele-Bashiru have fresh opportunities to stake claims to permanent shirts.

The duo of England-based defender Gabriel Osho and Tanzania-based Benjamin Tianimu are teaming up with the group for the first time.

ALL THE INVITED PLAYERS:

Goalkeepers: Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United, South Africa); Francis Uzoho (AC Omonia, Cyprus); Ojo Olorunleke (Enyimba FC)

Defenders: Gabriel Osho (Luton FC, England); Chidozie Awaziem (Boavista FC, Portugal); Bright Osayi-Samuel (Fenerbahce FC, 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); Cyriel Dessers (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland)