Good or Bad: Keshi calls up Iheanacho, Alampasu and Awoniyi for CHAN squad

The national team coach has called up three of the victorious Golden Eaglets players for the home-based Eagles camping for CHAN

Three Golden Eaglets players to the just concluded Fifa U-17 World Cup - Dele Alampasu, Kelechi Iheanacho and Taiwo Awoniyi - are among a list of 30 players that have been called to camp to prepare for the 2014 African Nations Championship (CHAN) that will take place in South Africa.

Nigeria is going to the CHAN for the first time in three attempts and will be attempting to hold the Nations Cup and CHAN at the same time – no country has achieved that feat yet.

“We are going to the CHAN for the first time but we want to be the best at our very first outing,” Keshi said in Brazil on Thursday morning.

Nigeria is grouped alongside host South Africa, Mali and Mozambique in Group A at the tournament starting on 11th January, 2014.

Regular Super Eagles third-choice goalkeeper, Chigozie Agbim leads the roll call that also includes Nations Cup hero, Sunday Mba.

All the30 invited players are expected to report to the Bolton White Apartments in Abuja on Monday, December 9 while six players have been placed on the standby list.

CHAN INVITEES

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
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