Stephen Keshi Names Squad For Flames Test

[Folami David]

Head coach of the Nigeria national team, Stephen Keshi has called up 42 players ahead of September's 2014 Fifa World Cup qualifier against Malawi.
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Eighteen of the players called up by Keshi are based abroad while 24 domestically-based players were also invited for the game which holds on September 7.
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The 18 players based outside Nigeria will automatically make the final squad of 23 which is expected to be ratified in the coming days.
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Explaining the rationale behind the bloated nature of the squad, Keshi said the decision was informed by the need to "identify new players for the 2014 African Nations Championship (Chan)."
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"We are calling up 24 home boys in order to be able to identify new players for the 2014 African Nations Championship, for which we have already qualified," said Keshi.
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Chigozie Agbim, Azubuike Egwuekwe, Solomon Kwambe, Benjamin Francis, Sunday Mba, Muhammad Gambo and Godfrey Oboabona were all included in the squad made public on Tuesday night.
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After sitting out last week's friendly win against South Africa's Bafana Bafana, assistant captain, Vincent Enyeama returns while Austin Ejide who deputised for the Lille goalkeeper with distinction also gets a call-up for the crunch game against the Flames.
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Efe Ambrose, Elderson Echiejile, John Obi Mikel, Ogenyi Onazi, Victor Moses, Emmanuel Emenike, Ahmed Musa and Brown Ideye were also called up for the encounter.

[Shola Sholaz]

Stephen Keshi is really doing well right about now when it comes to promoting our football in Africa and the world.