Eguavoen invites 25 to camp including new boy Lookman for World Cup play-off against Ghana

SUPER Eagles head coach Augustine Eguavoen has invited 25 players to camp for this month's World Cup play-off against Ghana including Leicester City winger Ademola Lookman who was only recently cleared by Fifa to play for Nigeria.

Also in the list is Copenhagen of Denmark midfielder Akinkunmi Amoo, who is being invited for the first time ever and Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia striker, Odion Ighalo. In addition, Glasgow Rangers defender Calvin Bassey and Watford striker Emmanuel Dennis, return to the fold after missing out on the African Cup of Nations.

There are few surprises in this long list with the only major absentee being Everton's Alex Iwobi who is serving a suspension after receiving a red card in his last match against Tunisia at the African Cup of Nations. Strikers Taiwo Awoniyi and Peter Olayinka, along with defender Chidozie Awaziem and long-time absentee Ogenyi Onazi are among those on a seven-man standby list.

Camp opens in Abuja on March 21 and four days later, Nigeria will take on Ghana in the 20,000 capacity Cape Coast Sports Stadium on Friday March 25. Then the reverse leg will take place at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja on Tuesday March 29, with the winner getting to represent Africa at the World Cup scheduled for November 14 to December 18 this year in Qatar.

Full squad:

Goalkeepers:

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

Defenders:

Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion, England), Kenneth Omeruo (CD Leganes, Spain), Leon Balogun (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland), William Ekong (Watford FC, England), Olaoluwa Aina (Torino FC, Italy), Calvin Bassey (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland), Abdullahi Shehu (AC Omonia, Cyprus), Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto, Portugal)

Midfielders:

Frank Onyeka (Brentford FC, England), Joseph Ayodele-Aribo (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland), Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England), Oghenekaro Etebo (Watford FC, England),  Akinkunmi Amoo (FC Copenhagen, Denmark)

Forwards:

Ahmed Musa (Fatih Karagumruk, Turkey), Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal FC, Spain), Victor Osimhen (Napoli FC, Italy), Moses Simon (FC Nantes, France), Sadiq Umar (UD Almeria, Spain), Odion Jude Ighalo (Al-Hilal FC, Saudi Arabia), Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City, England), Emmanuel Dennis (Watford FC, England), Ademola Lookman (Leicester City, England)

Standby:

Chidozie Awaziem (Alanyaspor FC, Turkey), Jamilu Collins (SC Padeborn 07, Germany), Chidera Ejuke (CSKA Moscow, Russia), Taiwo Awoniyi (Union Berlin, Germany), Paul Onuachu (KRC Genk, Belgium), Peter Olayinka (SK Slavia Praha, Czech Republic), Ogenyi Onazi (Al-Adalah FC, Saudi Arabia)