2022 WCQ: Ighalo Returns As Rohr Names Chukwueze, 23 Others For Liberia, Cape Verde

Gernot Rohr has listed Samuel Chukwueze and Odion Ighalo as well as 22 others for Nigeria’s closing Group C games of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 African race against Liberia and Cape Verde this month.

The Super Eagles will tackle the Lone Star of Liberia at the Grand Stade Tangier in Morocco on Saturday, 13 November and then fly into Lagos for the final group game against Cape Verde’s Blue Sharks at the Teslim Balogun Stadium on Tuesday, 16 November.

Chukwueze earns a recall to the national team after recovering from a long-term injury sustained at the end of last season while striker Ighalo returns to the Eagles two years after calling it quits following the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations. 

Top of their pool with nine points but hotly chased by Cape Verde who are two points behind and host the Central African Republic on the island of Mindelo, the Eagles need the three points against the Lone Star on the neutral turf of Morocco’s principal northern city to remain on firm ground when hosting the Blue Sharks three days later in Nigeria’s commercial capital.

Leicester City midfield enforcer Wilfred Ndidi, who missed the last round of games home-and-away against the Central African Republic, is back in the trough, just as fellow Premiership boy Alex Iwobi.

Rohr has this time extended invitation 2019 Africa Cup of Nations’ top scorer Odion Jude Ighalo, who announced his retirement from the international game following that AFCON feat in Egypt. 

The invited players and overseas-based members of the technical crew are to report directly to the city of Tangier on Monday, 8th November while technical officials from Nigeria are to report in Tangier the same day.

EAGLES FOR LONE STAR & BLUE SHARKS

Goalkeepers: Francis Uzoho (AC Omonia, Cyprus); Daniel Akpeyi (Kaizer Chiefs, South Africa); Maduka Okoye (Sparta Rotterdam, The Netherlands)

Defenders: Chidozie Awaziem (Alanyaspor FC, Turkey); Kenneth Omeruo (CD Leganes, Spain); Leon Balogun (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland); William Ekong (Watford FC, England); Olaoluwa Aina (Torino FC, Italy); Jamilu Collins (SC Paderborn 07, Germany); Abdullahi Shehu (AC Omonia, Cyprus); Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto, Portugal); Kevin Akpoguma (TSG Hoffenheim, Germany)

Midfielders: Frank Onyeka (Brentford FC, England); Joseph Ayodele-Aribo (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland); Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Alex Iwobi (Everton FC, England); Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City, England)

Forwards: Ahmed Musa (Fatih Karagumruk, Turkey); Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal FC, Spain); Victor Osimhen (Napoli FC, Italy); Moses Simon (FC Nantes, France); Paul Onuachu (KRC Genk, Belgium); Chidera Ejuke (CSKA Moscow, Russia); Odion Jude Ighalo (Al-Shabab Riyadh, Saudi Arabia)