31 Eagles named in Eric Chelle squad for Rwanda, South Africa games next month

...Adeleye Adebayo, Terem Moffi, Chidozie Awaziem in, Maduka Okoye, Kelechi Iheanacho, Paul Onuachu out
By Maxwell Kumoye 
 

   The head coach of the Super Eagles of Nigeria Eric Sekou Chelle has named a 31 man provisional roster for the 'two-decide your destiny' World Cup Qualifiers next month.

The Super Eagles gaffer has kept faith with the same group of players he has been working with since he was given the difficult but not impossible task of leading Nigeria to the 2026 World Cup finals to be co-hosted by America, Canada and Mexico.

He selected team captain William Ekong, first-choice goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali, defenders Olaoluwa Aina and Calvin Bassey, midfielders Alex Iwobi and Wilfred Ndidi, and forwards Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman and Simon Moses in a provisional list of 31 for the games against Rwanda in Uyo and South Africa in Bloemfontein.

Goalkeeper Ebenezer Harcourt, from Sporting FC is the only home base player named by Eric Chelle.

Defenders Bright Osayi-Samuel and Bruno Onyemaechi, midfielders Raphael Onyedika, Frank Onyeka and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, and forwards Sadiq Umar and Nathan Tella also made the cut 

Young defender Benjamin Fredericks, Felix Agu and Igoh Ogbu, midfielder Christantus Uche and forward Cyriel Dessers, who impressed at the 2025 Unity Cup Tournament that Nigeria won in London were called up alongside returnee goalkeeper Adeleye Adebayo, defender Chidozie Awaziem and forward Terem Moffi.

However, there was no place for goalkeeper Maduka Okoye, forward Kelechi Iheanacho and 31 year old Paul Onuachu.

Nigeria that is six points adrift of Group C leaders South Africa takes on Rwanda at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium on Saturday, 6th September in a Matchday 7 encounter and three days later they will be guest of Bafana Bafana of South Africa in Bloemfontein.
 
The Super Eagles camp for the two crucial matches opens on the first of September in Uyo.

THE PROVISIONAL SQUAD 

GOALKEEPERS:

✓ Stanley Nwabali - Chippa United, South Africa
✓ Amas Obasogie - Singida Blackstars, Tanzania
✓ Adeleye Adebayo - Volos FC, Greece
✓ Ebenezer Harcourt - Sporting FC
 
DEFENDERS:

✓ William Ekong - Al-Kholood, Saudi Arabia
✓ Calvin Bassey - Fulham FC, England
✓ Olaoluwa Aina - Nottingham Forest, England
✓ Bright Osayi-Samuel - Birmingham City, England
✓ Bruno Onyemaechi - Olympiakos, Greece
✓ Igoh Ogbu - SK Slavia Prague, Czech Republic
✓ Chidozie Awaziem - Nantes FC, France
✓ Felix Agu - Werder Bremen, Germany
✓ Benjamin Fredericks - Dender FC, Belgium
 
MIDFIELDERS:

✓ Alex Iwobi - Fulham FC, England
✓ Frank Onyeka - Brentford FC, England
✓ Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi - New England Revolution, USA
✓ Wilfred Ndidi - Besiktas FC, Turkey
✓ Fisayo Dele-Bashiru - SS Lazio, Italy
✓ Raphael Onyedika - Club Brugge, Belgium
✓ Christantus Uche - Getafe CF, Spain
 
FORWARDS:

✓ Ademola Lookman - Atalanta BC, Italy
✓ Samuel Chukwueze - AC Milan, Italy
✓ Victor Osimhen - Galatasaray FC, Turkey
✓ Simon Moses - Paris FC, France
✓ Victor Boniface - Bayer Leverkusen, Germany
✓ Cyriel Dessers - Glasgow Rangers, Scotland
✓ Sadiq Umar - Real Sociedad, Spain
✓ Nathan Tella - Bayer Leverkusen, Germany
✓ Tolu Arokodare - KRC Genk, Belgium
✓ Terem Moffi - OGC Nice, France
✓ Adams Akor - Sevilla FC, Spain

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