Luton defender Osho makes Super Eagles list for Ghana, Mali friendlies

 The Super Eagles have selected Gabriel Osho, a defender for Luton FC, for their international friendlies against Ghana and Mali on March 22 and 26, respectively, in Morocco. This is Osho's first call-up to the national team.

Osho, who was born in England to Nigerian parents, accepts the opportunity to play for the three-time African champions, the Super Eagles.

In addition to Wilfred Ndidi and Sadiq Umar, who were sidelined for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast owing to injury, Nathan Tella, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, Tyronne Ebuehi, and Cyril Dessers, all returned to the Super Eagles side from Bayer Leverkusen.


Nigeria's Super Eagles will play their first match of the month on March 22 against Ghana and then again on March 26 against Mali. The games are a prelude to the Super Eagles' June 2026 World Cup qualifying match against South Africa.

 Later this month, in the Moroccan city of Marrakech, Nigeria, the vice champions of Africa, will play two top-tier friendlies against Les Aigles of Mali and Ghana's Black Stars.

The matchup with Ghana's Black Stars may bring back fond memories of the West African powerhouses' 73-year rivalry, which began in October 1951 when Nigeria defeated the Gold Coast 5-0 in a Jalco Cup match held in Lagos.

The two teams most recently faced off in March 2022 in a two-leg play-off for a spot in the FIFA World Cup finals in Qatar in 2022. Nigeria was defeated 1-1 overall by the Black Stars thanks to the away-goal rule.

The Eagles, a nickname for Mali and Nigeria, last faced off in a friendly game at Rouen, France, in the summer of 2016. The game ended with no points. Three years previously, in the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals in Durban, the Malian Eagles had fallen 1-4 to the eventual winners, Super Eagles.

ALL THE INVITED PLAYERS:

Goalkeepers: Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United, South Africa); Francis Uzoho (AC Omonia, Cyprus); Ojo Olorunleke (Enyimba FC)

Defenders: Gabriel Osho (Luton FC, England); Chidozie Awaziem (Boavista FC, Portugal); Bright Osayi-Samuel (Fenerbahce FC, Turkey); Tyronne Ebuehi (Empoli FC, Italy); Bruno Onyemaechi (Boavista FC, Portugal); Kenneth Omeruo (Kasimpasa FC, Turkey); Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion, England); Calvin Bassey (Fulham FC, England); Jamilu Collins (Cardiff City, Wales); Benjamin Tianimu (Ihefu SC, Tanzania)

Midfielders: Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium); Alhassan Yusuf (Royal Antwerp FC, Belgium); Frank Onyeka (Brentford FC, England); Alex Iwobi (Fulham FC, England)

Forwards: Nathan Tella (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany); Victor Osimhen (SSC Napoli, Italy); Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City, England); Sadiq Umar (Real Sociedad, Spain); Moses Simon (FC Nantes, France); Ademola Lookman (Atalanta FC, Italy); Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (Hatayspor, Turkey); Taiwo Awoniyi (Nottingham Forest, England); Cyriel Dessers (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland)