Super Eagles assistant coach Daniel Ogunmodede has defended the inclusion of some players in the squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Benin Republic and Rwanda.

Acting coach, Augustine Eguavoen, handed out invitations to unknown faces, Gabriel Osho and Victor Collins, for both matches.

Real Sociedad striker Umar Sadiq has also been recalled to the squad despite his struggles at the Laliga club.

Eguavoen again opted not to invite the duo of Tolu Arokodare and Cyriel Dessers despite their impressive club form.

Ogunmodede, however, said the gaffer did a thorough job before coming up with the list.

“The head coach has made a list, discussed with us as backroom staff and I think they are competent and capable of representing the country,” he told NFF TV.

“They are all familiar faces apart from Gabriel Osho who is now new to the set-up as he had an injury and had to undergo an operation.

“Sadiq has been in the team for a while and he was also sidelined due to injury, now he is back and the manager felt that we need a left footed centre-back and currently in the league we have Victor Collins who has proven his worth.”