Iheanacho, Osimhen missing as Salisu Yusuf names 8 home-based players for Mexico, Ecuador friendlies

Salisu Yusuf, Super Eagles first assistant coach, has handed Cyriel Dessers, Feyernood striker, a return to the team ahead of the international friendly matches against Mexico and Ecuador later this month.

The Eagles are without a head coach since the resignation of Austin Eguavoen in March.

Yusuf has, however, been saddled with the responsibility of rallying the team for the friendlies billed for the United States.

Yusuf’s 30-man list was announced in a statement released by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on Tuesday.

Ahmed Musa, the team’s captain, lead the list alongside Moses Simon, Maduka Okoye, Emmanuel Dennis and Ademola Lookman.

The coach also included eight home-based players — Adewale Adeyinka, Ojo Olorunleke, Ibrahim Buhari, Victor Mbaoma, Isa Ali, Babatunde Afeez Nosiru, Chiamaka Madu, and Ishaq Rafiu — among the squad for the encounters.

Missing from the list are the forward trio of Kelechi Iheanacho, Victor Osimhen and Odion Ighalo.

Nigeria will face Mexico at the AT & T Stadium in Texas on May 28 before flying to New Jersey to play Ecuador at the Red Bull Arena on June 2.

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 and São Tomé & Príncipe.

FULL LIST

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)