Osimhen, Nwabali, Aina Left out of Chelle’s Eagles for Iran, Jordan Friendlies 

 Duro Ikhazuagbe

Super Eagles Head Coach, Eric Chelle, left out Victor Osimhen, Stanley Nwabali and Ola Aina from his 23-man list  for the International friendlies against Iran and Jordan later this month.

Osimhen is suspected to be nursing injury as reflected in his poor form against Liverpool in the second leg of the Last 16 round of the Champions League in Anfield last night. He was replaced by Leroy Sané in the 46th minute of the clash the Reds mauled Galatasaray 4-0 to qualify for the quarter finals.

Nwabali is without a club since leaving Chippa United by mutual understandings while Aina has returned to full fitness and struggling to regain his form before the injury that stopped him from the AFCON 2025 with Nigeria.

Apart from the usual regulars like captain Wilfred Ndidi, midfield ace Alex Iwobi and forward Ademola Lookman, there are three new faces in the squad. They include; Scotland-based defender Emmanuel Oluwasegun Fernandez; Germany-based forward Philip Otele and KRC Genk of Belgium’s Collins Yira Sor, a former junior international.

Chelle also called Italy-based goalkeeper Maduka Okoye, defender Oluwasemilogo Ajayi, midfielder Frank Onyeka, and forwards Simon Moses, Samuel Chukwueze, Akor Adams and Paul Onuachu in the 23-man squad for the international friendly matches against Iran and Jordan, which have now been moved from the Jordanian capital, Amman to the city of Antalya in Turkey.

The Super Eagles will take on Iran’s senior men football team in Antalya on Friday, 27th March (with kick off set for 4pm local time), and then the Jordan senior men national team on Tuesday, 31st March (with kick off set for 8pm local time).

Originally scheduled for the 17,000-capacity Amman International Stadium and the 62,000-capacity King Abdullah Sports City Stadium (also in Amman), the games had to be moved to a new venue following the outbreak of military conflict in the Middle East.

THE 23-MAN SQUAD

Goalkeepers: Maduka Okoye (Udinese FC, Italy); Adeleye Adebayo (Volos FC, Greece); Francis Uzoho (Omonia FC, Cyprus)

Defenders: Calvin Bassey (Fulham FC, England); Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (Hull City, England); Bright Osayi-Samuel (Birmingham City, England); Bruno Onyemaechi (Olympiakos, Greece); Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto, Portugal); Igoh Ogbu (Slavia Prague, Czech Republic); Emmanuel Fernandez (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland)

Midfielders: Alex Iwobi (Fulham FC, England); Frank Onyeka (Coventry FC, England); Wilfred Ndidi (Besiktas FC, Turkey); Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium); Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (SS Lazio, Italy)

Forwards: Ademola Lookman (Atletico Madrid, Spain); Samuel Chukwueze (Fulham FC, England); Simon Moses (Paris FC, France); Chidera Ejuke (SevillaFC, Spain); Paul Onuachu (Trabzonspor AS, Turkey); Akor Adams (Sevilla FC, Spain); Philip Otele (Hamburger SV, Germany); Collins Yira Sor (KRC Genk, Belgium)