Gernot hands surprise recall to Ramon Azeez as he names 23-man squad for Brazil friendly

SUPER Eagles head coach Gernot Rohr has published the names of the 23 players he has invited to camp for the October 13 friendly against Brazil with a surprise recall for Granada of Spain midfielder Ramon Azeez who has been in fine form this season.

Azeez, 26, last played for the Eagles five years ago when he featured in the 2014 World Cup but his good performance in the Spanish league this season has earned him a fresh invite. Another surprise name in the squad is striker Peter Olayinka, who plays for Slavia Prague in the Czech Republic.

Mr Rohr has defenders Kenneth Omeruo, Abdullahi Shehu and Chidozie Awaziem back from injury, in a squad that has significant changes from the side that was forced to a 2-2 draw by Ukraine in Dnipro on September 10.  Goalkeepers Francis Uzoho, Ikechukwu Ezenwa and Maduka Okoye are retained but Leon Balogun of Brighton in England and Lokomotiv Moscow's Bryan Idowu are left out of the defence equation.

Leicester City's Kelechi Iheanacho is left out, while Girondins Bordeaux’s Joshua Maja will sit this one out, with his place taken by Olayinka. Wilfred Ndidi returns after missing the Ukraine encounter with injury but substantive captain Ahmed Musa is still out with injury and has not been recalled.

Alex Iwobi, Oghenekaro Etebo and Joe Aribo of Glasgow Rangers, who scored on his debut against Ukraine, are all back in midfield, with Victor Osimhen, Samuel Chukwueze, Moses Simon, Samuel Kalu, Paul Onuachu and Emmanuel Dennis called upfront. All invited players are expected to arrive in Singapore on Wednesday, October 9.

This much anticipated encounter  taking place at the Singapore National Stadium, Kallang, will be the first time the two sides have met since a friendly in Abuja in 2003. In that game, Brazil won 3-0, getting revenge for Nigeria beating her 3-2 in the semi final of the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

Full squad:

Goalkeepers:

Francis Uzoho (Omonia FC, Cyprus)

Ikechukwu Ezenwa (Heartland FC)

Maduka Okoye (Fortuna Dusseldorf, Germany)

Defenders:

Olaoluwa Aina (Torino FC, Italy);

Abdullahi Shehu (Bursaspor FC, Turkey)

Chidozie Awaziem (CD Leganes, Spain)

William Ekong (Udinese FC, Italy)

Kenneth Omeruo (CD Leganes, Spain)

Jamilu Collins (SC Padeborn 07, Germany)

Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion, England)

Midfielders:

Alex Iwobi (Everton FC, England)

Anderson Esiti (PAOK Salonica, Greece)

Oghenekaro Etebo (Stoke City FC, England)

Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England)

Joseph Aribo (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland)

Ramon Azeez (Granada FC, Spain)

Forwards:

Victor Osimhen (Lille OSC, France)

Moses Simon (FC Nantes, France)

Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal FC, Spain)

Samuel Kalu (Girondins Bordeaux, France)

Paul Onuachu (KRC Genk, Belgium)

Emmanuel Dennis (Club Brugge, Belgium)

Peter Olayinka (SK Slavia Prague, Czech Republic)