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World’s Best Player at the last Under-17 World Cup, Kelechi Iheanacho, has broken into the home-based senior national team, the Super Eagles, alongside two other key members of the world-conquering Golden Eaglets.
Iheanacho, Taiwo Awoniyi and Dele Alampasu were today named among Coach Stephen Keshi’s 30-man for a training camp ahead of the 3rd African Nations Championship (CHAN) holding early next year in South Africa. Their invitation represents a U-Turn by Keshi, who had earlier insisted that the Eaglets, who won the FIFA U-17 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates, needed time to mature before being promoted to the senior team.
The training camp will open in Abuja on Monday. Six players have been put on standby. Nigeria, who are debuting in the championship, are in Group A alongside hosts South Africa, Mali and Mozambique.
First-choice goalkeeper and skipper Chigozie Agbim and ace midfielder Sunday Mba top the list of invitees, with Shooting Stars forward Gbolahan Salami handed a recall.
THE FULL LIST
Goalkeepers: Chigozie Agbim (Enugu Rangers); Daniel Akpeyi (Heartland FC); Isah Danladi (Sharks FC); Sunday Alampasu (Abuja Football College).
Defenders: Azubuike Egwuekwe (Warri Wolves); Ebenezer Odunlami (Sunshine Stars); Benjamin Francis (Heartland FC); Solomon Kwambe (Sunshine Stars); Bright Esieme (Enyimba FC); Yinka Adedeji (Sharks FC); Reuben Ogbonnaya (El-Kanemi Warriors); Umar Zango (Kano Pillars); Chibuzor Madu (Enugu Rangers).
Midfielders: Sunday Mba (Enugu Rangers); Etebo Oghenekaro (Warri Wolves); Rabiu Ali (Kano Pillars); Ogonna Osuchukwu (Enugu Rangers); Achiv Douglas (Lobi Stars); Kelechi Iheanacho (Taiye Academy, Owerri); Mohammed Ajia (Bayelsa United); Christian Pyagbara (Sharks FC).
Forwards: Muhammad Gambo (Kano Pillars); Ifeanyi Edeh (Enyimba FC); Barnabas Imenger (Lobi Stars); Ejike Uzoenyi (Enugu Rangers); Ezekiel Mbah (Akwa United); Obiozor Christian (Enugu Rangers); Abubakar Aliyu (Nasarawa United); Gbolahan Salami (3SC); Taiwo Awoniyi (Imperial Academy, Ilorin)
Standby: Happy Okuoka (Heartland FC); Bello Ikeleji (Insurance FC); Obinna Nwachukwu (Heartland FC); Izuegbu Abonima (Enugu Rangers); Paul Ikenna (Sunshine Stars); John Austin Igenepo.
•Photo shows Kelechi Iheanacho.
