BY ANDREW EKEJIUBA
Super Eagles star performer and Omonia Nicosia right back, Abdullahi Shehu, has revealed that the recall of former Manchester United and Watford dare-devil striker, Odion Ighalo, to the national team ahead 2022 World Cup qualifying matches against Liberia and Cape Verde is a good decision by the coaching crew.
Ighalo who currently plays for Al-Shabab of Saudi Arabia called time on his international career shortly after the conclusion of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, where he won the top scorer award, but he is under intense pressure from the Nigeria Football Federation boss, Amaju Pinnick, and manager Gernot Rohr to come out of retirement and join the team.
However, it is unclear if Ighalo will accept the invitation to link up with the Super Eagles more than two years after his last international appearance.
Shehu has highlighted the qualities the 32-year-old would bring to the current Super Eagles team if he shows up for the World Cup qualifiers.
“We are all happy to have Ighalo back in the team. With his experience Ighalo is a top, top player that everyone looks up to him,” Shehu said.
“To have Ighalo back in the team is good for all of us, because he will help the team. I am sure of that the coach trusts him and we trust him too.
“With his experience I think a lot of players there in the team will learn a lot from him so we are happy to have him back,” he added.
Ighalo has scored nine goals in eleven appearances in the Saudi Professional League so far this season which is remarkable for a top striker.
Meanwhile, world football –governing body, FIFA has appointed referees from North Africa to officiate the Super Eagles’ last two games of the group phase of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 African qualifying series.
Tunisian official, Youssef Essrayri, 42, will be referee for the Day 5 encounter between the Super Eagles and the Lone Star of Liberia taking place at the Grand Stade de Tangier in Morocco on Saturday, November 13. The match is a ‘home’ game for the Lone Star – reverse fixture of the Day 1 clash at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos on September 3, which the Super Eagles won 2-0 thanks to a Kelechi Iheanacho’s brace.
Essrayri will be assisted by compatriots Aymen Ismail (assistant referee 1), Youssef Jami (assistant referee 2) and Mehrez Melki (fourth official) at the match that will begin at 5pm Moroccan time (6pm Nigerian time).
Former FIFA referee Seli Zinko from Cote d’Ivoire will be referee assessor while Sullay Kamara from Sierra Leone will be match commissioner. Dr Bilal Mohamed Rida, Moroccan, will serve as medical officer.
For the Day 6 clash against Cape Verde’s Blue Sharks at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos on Tuesday, November 16, FIFA has listed Algerian official Mustapha Ghorbal as referee. He will be assisted by compatriots Mokrane Gourari (assistant referee 1), Abbes Akram Zerhouni (assistant referee 2) and Lahlou Benbraham (fourth official).
Ivorian Nomandiez Doue, another former FIFA referee, will serve as referee assessor with Sierra Leonean Prince Kai Saquee as match commissioner. The medical officer will be Dr Abdulrahim Onimisi Ozi Salami of Nigeria.
The Nigeria/Cape Verde clash will kick off at 5pm local time.
