Keshi Names Ujah In Super Eagles Squad

FC Cologne striker Anthony Ujah has been handed a call-up to the Nigeria squad to face Mexico later this month in Houston.

Ujah, 22, is part of a 25-man squad named by Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi for the May 31 international friendly.

It will be the first senior call-up for the former Kano Pillars and Warri Wolves forward, who has already represented Nigeria at national Under-23 level.

African champions Nigeria are preparing for two 2014 Fifa World Cup Qualifying matches in June before travelling to Brazil to participate in the Fifa Confederations Cup.

The Super Eagles will count on its English Premier League stars to lead the way, including Chelsea midfielders John Mikel Obi, and Victor Moses, one of the top wingers in European soccer.

Ujah is one of two players based in the German Bundesliga, with two from Italy’s Serie A, two from the Scottish Premier League and two from the Portuguese Liga. Mexico is expected to release its roster in the coming days.

Mexico and Nigeria have met three times with a 1-0-2 record in favour of Mexico. The two teams last met in October of 2007 in an international friendly, with the match ending in a 2-2 tie at the Estadio Olimpico Benito Juarez in Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua.

NIGERIA FULL SQUAD:

Goalkeepers: Chigozie Agbim (Warri Wolves/NGA), Austin Ejide (Hapoel/ISR), Vincent Enyeama (Maccabi Tel Aviv/ISR)

Defenders: Azubuike Egwuekwe (Warri Wolves/NGA), Efe Ambrose (Celtic/SCO), Elderson Echiéjilé (Sporting de Braga/POR), Kenneth Omeruo (ADO Den Haag/NED), Godfrey Oboabona (Sunshine Stars/NGA), Solomon Kwambe (Sunshine Stars/NGA), Francis Benjamin (Heartland FC/NGA), Odunlami Kunle (Sunshine Stars FC/NGA)

Midfielders: John Mikel Obi (Chelsea/ENG), Victor Moses (Chelsea/ENG), Ogenyi Onazi (Lazio/ITA), John Ogu (Academia de Coimbra/POR), Obinna Nwachukwu (Heartland/NGA), Sunday Mba (Enugu Rangers/NGA), Michael Babatunde (Kryvbas Kryvyi/UKR), Reuben Gabriel (Kilmarnock/SCO)

Forwards: Joseph Akpala (SV Werder Bremen/GER), Brown Ideye (FC Dynamo Kyiv/UKR), Anthony Ujah (FC Koln/GER), Nnamdi Oduamadi (Varese/ITA), Kalu Uche (Kasýmpaþa Spor Kulübü /TUR), Gambo Muhammad (Kano Pillars FC/NGA)