Super Eagles confirm Cameroon friendly as Simy, Ezenwa return, Balogun out

THE Super Eagles will face Cameroon in a friendly in June, the Nigeria Football Federation confirmed on Friday.

The match between multiple-times African champions and rivals will be held in Vienna, Austria on 4 June.

Super Eagles head coach Gernot Rohr has named 29 players in a provisional squad for the friendly, which was arranged in place of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers that were postponed to September and October.

Captain Ahmed Musa, who recently joined Kano Pillars, is included in the squad, along with deputy captain William Troost-Ekong who recently got promoted to the Premier League with Watford, and Sparta Rotterdam goalkeeper Maduka Okoye.

Regulars squads members like defenders Kenneth Omeruo and Chidozie Awaziem, midfielders Wilfred Ndidi and Oghenekaro Etebo, as well as forwards Victor Osimhen, Kelechi Iheanacho and Samuel Chukwueze also also included.

Crotone striker Simeone ‘Simy’ Nwankwo, who has been in impressive form for the relegated Serie A club, has been recalled for the first time since 2018 to battle for a spot in attack with Lorient youngster Terem Moffi, Slavia Prague’s Peter Olayinka, and Almeria’s Sadiq Umar. 

Portugal-based midfielder Abraham Marcus is called up for the first time and Enyimba’s skillful forward Anayo Iwuala, who helped the People’s Elephant to the quarter-finals of the CAF Confederation Cup, has retained his spot after impressive cameo appearances against Benin Republic and Lesotho in AFCON qualifiers in March.

Heartland goalkeeper Ikechukwu Ezenwa is also included in the squad, making a comeback after falling out of favour.

However, one of the regulars, Rangers centre-back Leon Balogun, is not in the squad, his place apparently taken by fit-again Kevin Akpoguma of Hoffenheim.

The provisional list of 31 will be cut down to 23 before the Super Eagles fly to Vienna for the clash.

Neighbours the Indomitable Lions and the Super Eagles have a long-standing rivalry, with the former beating the latter in Africa Cup of Nations finals to win their first three titles in 1984, 1988 and 2000.

However, Cameroon have not beaten Nigeria in regulation time since a 1-0 victory in a 1990 FIFA World Cup qualifying match at the Stade Omnisports in Yaounde in August 1989.

The Lions’ win in the 2000 AFCON final in Lagos was via penalties after the Super Eagles came from behind to draw 2-2 in regulation time.

The Super Eagles were in the same final qualifying group with Cameroon for the Russia 2018 World Cup, Nigeria winning 4-0 in Uyo before a 1-1 draw in Yaounde.

THE FULL LIST

Goalkeepers: Francis Uzoho (APOEL Nicosia, Cyprus); John Noble (Enyimba FC); Maduka Okoye (Sparta Rotterdam, The Netherlands); Ikechukwu Ezenwa (Heartland FC)

Defenders: Kenneth Omeruo (CD Leganes, Spain); Kevin Akpoguma (Hoffenheim, Germany); Chidozie Awaziem (FC Boavista, Portugal); William Ekong (Watford FC, England); Olaoluwa Aina (Fulham FC, England); Jamilu Collins (SC Padeborn 07, Germany); Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto, Portugal); Tyronne Ebuehi (FC Twente, The Netherlands); Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion, England)

Midfielders: Oghenekaro Etebo (Galatasaray FC, Turkey); Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Abdullahi Shehu (Omonia Nicosa, Cyprus); Joseph Ayodele-Aribo (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland); Abraham Marcus (CD Feirense, Portugal)

Forwards: Ahmed Musa (Kano Pillars FC); Alex Iwobi (Everton FC, England); Sadiq Umar (Almeria FC, Spain); Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal FC, Spain); Victor Osimhen (Napoli FC, Italy); Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City, England); Moses Simon (FC Nantes, France); Henry Onyekuru (Galatasaray FC, Turkey); Anayo Iwuala (Enyimba FC); Peter Olayinka (Slavia Praha, Czech Republic); Terem Moffi (FC Lorient, France); Paul Onuachu (KRC Genk, Belgium); Simy Nwankwo (Crotone FC, Italy)