Dessers & Ehizibue earn Nigeria call-ups as Leicester City’s Iheanacho returns

Gernot Rohr has included FC Cologne’s Kingsley Ehizibue and Heracles Almelo's Cyriel Dessers in his latest Nigeria squad, while Leicester City forward Kelechi Iheanacho returns to the team.

The Super Eagles will host the Leone Stars on March 26 in a 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier before heading to Freetown for the return leg at the Siaka Stevens Stadium four days later.

Nigeria are currently sitting top of Group L on six points, having won all two of their fixtures to date.

Dessers has been handed his first international call up after scoring 15 goals in 25 Dutch top-flight outings.

The striker is joined in the 24-man squad by right-back Ehizibue, who is a regular for Cologne in the German Bundesliga.

There is, however, no place for Paul Onuachu, Henry Onyekuru and Francis Uzoho. Elsewhere, Leicester City’s Kelechi Iheanacho returns to the squad after a years hiatus.

If Nigeria pick up another win against the Leone Stars, their spot in the next Afcon will be guaranteed, which might give Rohr the opportunity to blood younger members of his squad in other qualifiers.
 

FULL SQUAD

Goalkeepers: Daniel Akpeyi (Kaizer Chiefs, South Africa); Ikechukwu Ezenwa (Heartland FC); Maduka Okoye (Fortuna Dusseldorf, Germany)

Defenders: Kenneth Omeruo (CD Leganes, Spain); Leon Balogun (Wigan Athletic, England); Chidozie Awaziem (CD Leganes, Spain); William Ekong (Udinese FC, Italy); Olaoluwa Aina (Torino FC, Italy); Jamilu Collins (SC Paderborn 07, Germany); Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion, England); Kingsley Ehizibue (FC Koln, Germany)                         

Midfielders: Abdullahi Shehu (Bursaspor FC, Turkey); Etebo Oghenekaro (Getafe FC, Spain); Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Joseph Ayodele-Aribo (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland); Ramon Azeez (Granada FC, Spain)

Forwards: Ahmed Musa (Al Nassr, Saudi Arabia); Alexander Iwobi (Everton FC, England); Victor Osimhen (Lille OSC, France); Moses Simon (FC Nantes, France); Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal FC, Spain); Cyriel Dessers (Heracles Almelo, The Netherlands); Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City, England); Samuel Kalu (Girondins Bordeaux, France)