• Akpeyi, Akpoguna out •Clubless Musa gets invite •Enyimba ‘keeper makes list
Expectedly, Super Eagles technical adviser, Gernot Rohr has listed mostly familiar names for the last two AFCON qualifiers against Benin Republic and Lesotho in his 24-man call up yesterday.
All notable names including clubless captain, Ahmed Musa, deputy captain William Ekong, goalkeeper Francis Uzoho, midfielder Wilfred Ndidi, mesmerizing attacker Samuel Chukwueze and forward Victor Osimhen in the list.
The surprises are the inclusion of Enyimba International of Aba goalkeeper, John Noble while free scoring striker, Paul Onuachu’s top form could not guarantee express call up just as defender Kelvin Akpoguma has also been dropped.
Also in the list are defenders Leon Balogun, Kenneth Omeruo and Olaoluwa Aina while the midfielders are Oghenekaro Etebo and Joseph Ayodele-Aribo, and forwards Alex Iwobi and Moses Simon.
The versatile Abdullahi Shehu is listed as a midfielder this time and there is a first senior call for Spain –based forward Sadiq Umar.
Meanwhile seven players, including long –time goalkeeper, Daniel Akpeyi, are on standby.
Nigeria, top of the Group E log with eight points (one ahead of Benin Republic and five more than third-placed Sierra Leone), tackle the Squirrels away at the Stade Charles de Gaulle in Porto Novo on Saturday, March 27and will lock horns with the Crocodiles of Lesotho at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos three days later.
Both are the concluding games of the qualifying series.
