BY ANDREW EKEJIUBA
Leicester City dare-devil striker Kelechi Iheanacho has been left out by Super Eagles manager Jose Peseiro for match Day One squad of the 2023 AFCON qualifiers.
Iheanacho’s name was conspicuously missing in Peseiro’s 27-man list released to prosecute the upcoming 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Sierra Leone and Sao Tome and Principe prior before the weekend.
Peseiro included most of the players that featured in the recent international friendly matches for Nigeria against Mexico and Ecuador and retaining two of the four Nigeria Professional Football League players that made the trip to the United States.
Akwa United’s goalkeeper Adewale Adeyinka and Katsina United defender Sani Faisal are the two home-based players that are in the roster released by the Portuguese manager of the Super Eagles.
Victor Osimhen, Cyriel Dessers and Ahmed Musa topped the list of nine strikers for both games.
Nigeria will host Sierra Leone at the MKO Abiola National Stadium on Thursday, June 9, before flying to Marrakech, Morocco to play Soa Tomé and Principe on Monday, June 13.
Full list of invited players are: Goalkeepers-Francis Uzoho (AC Omonia, Cyprus), Adewale Adeyinka (Akwa United) and Adebayo Adeleye (Hapoel Jerusalem, Israel); Defenders- Olaoluwa Aina (Torino FC, Italy), William Ekong (Watford FC, England), Abdullahi Shehu (AC Omonia, Cyprus), Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto, Portugal), Chidozie Awaziem (Alanyaspor FC, Turkey), Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion, England), Calvin Bassey (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland), Sani Faisal (Katsina United), Leon Balogun (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland)and Kenneth Omeruo (CD Leganes, Spain); Midfielders- Alex Iwobi ( Everton, England), Joseph Ayodele-Aribo (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland), Oghenekaro Etebo (Watford City, England), Frank Onyeka (Brentford City, England)and Innocent Bonke (FC Lorient, France); Strikers- Ahmed Musa (Fatih Karagumruk, Turkey), Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal CF, Spain), Moses Simon (FC Nantes, France), Victor Osimhen (SSC Napoli, Italy), Cyriel Dessers (Feyenoord FC, The Netherlands), Ademola Lookman (Leicester City, England), Sadiq Umar (UD Almeria, Spain), Terem Moffi (FC Lorient, France)and Emmanuel Dennis (Watford City, England).
