Deportivo La Coruna young goalkeeper Francis Uzoho and Manchester City forward Chidiebere Nwakali are both in the list of 24 players Super Eagles manager Gernot Rohr invited for the 2018 Fifa World Cup qualifier against Algeria.
The Super Eagles will face the North Africans in the group’s dead rubber World Cup qualifying clash on Friday in Constantine, Algeria.
The same set of players will participate in the prestige international friendly clash against Argentina in Russia four days later.
Uzoho, who turned 19 on Saturday, made his Spanish La Liga debut for struggling Deportivo in a 0-0 draw with Eibar on October 15.
Rohr, who is searching for a top-class keeper after his team’s first choice Carl Ikeme was diagnosed with acute leukaemia in July, will look to Uzoho, who joined the struggling Spanish club from Qatari Aspire Academy in 2013, to push for the number one shirt ahead of Ikechukwu Ezenwa and Daniel Akpeyi, who also made Monday’s list.
Nwakali, 20, who joined Norwegian club Sogndal on loan from Man City in February, is expected to battle for a role in the Eagles’ star-studded defensive midfield position.
Rohr kept faith with the majority of the team, who beat Zambia 1-0 in Uyo on October 7 to help Nigeria seal their place in Russia 2018, for the qualifier against Algeria and the friendly clash against Argentina.
Conspicuous by their absence from the squad are recuperating Chelsea wing-back Victor Moses, Turkey-based defender Elderson Echiejile and Feirense keeper Dele Alampasu. Alampasu has yet to play any games for his club this season.
Dutch-born defender Tyronne Ebuehi, who was placed on standby for the Zambia clash, is on the list alongside big-name players such as Mikel Obi, Wilfred Ndidi, Kelechi Iheanacho, Alex Iwobi, Shehu Abdullahi, Ogenyi Onazi, Odion Ighalo, Leon Balogun and William Troost-Ekong.
Anderlecht’s rising star Henry Onyekuru was recalled by Rohr.
The forward, who is expected to join his parent club Everton in January, made his international debut in a 3-0 friendly win against Togo in June.
