Nigeria vs S’Africa: Onazi in, Moses, Mikel out

Pius Ayinor

Nigeria coach, Gernot Rohr on Wednesday released the 25-man squad to face the Bafana Bafana of South Africa in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers with team captain Mikel Obi and English Premier League winner Victor Moses missing from the list. Odion Ighalo and Brown Ideye who are both based in China with Mikel will also not be involved with the match, Extrasportsnigeria.com reports.

However, Ogenyi Onazi (Trabzonspor FC, Turkey); Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Ahmed Musa (Leicester City, England); Kelechi Iheanacho (Manchester City, England); Moses Simon (KAA Gent, Belgium) and Alex Iwobi (Arsenal FC, England) expectedly made the list.

Moses, we learnt was left out as a result of a toe injury. Gohr has systematically left out players from China since Nigerians trooped to the Chinese league.

Henry Onyekuru (KAS Eupen, Belgium) just moving to Arsenal got a call up. A surprise call was handed to Egypt-based Maroof Youssef who plays for Zamalek as a midfielder but listed as a defender by Nigeria.

Hotshot in the Nigeria Professional Football League, Alhassan Ibrahim also got a nod to be in the team, as well as regular invitee, FC IfeanyiUbah’s Ikechukwu Ezenwa.

The Super Eagles will play against the Hawks of Togo in an international friendly in Paris on June 1 before making the trip down to Nigeria for the final leg of preparation for the clash against the South Africans.

THE SQUAD

Goalkeepers: Daniel Akpeyi (Chippa United, South Africa); Ikechukwu Ezenwa (FC IfeanyiUbah); Dele Alampasu (Cesarense FC, Portugal)

Defenders: Kenneth Omeruo (Alanyaspor FC, Turkey); William Ekong (KAA Gent, Belgium); Abdullahi Shehu (Anorthosis Famagusta, Cyprus); Tyronne Ebuehi (ADO Den Haag, The Netherlands); Elderson Echiejile (AS Monaco, France); Chidozie Awaziem (FC Porto, Portugal); Maroof Youssef (Zamalek FC, Egypt)

Midfielders: Ogenyi Onazi (Trabzonspor FC, Turkey); Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Oghenekaro Etebo (CD Feirense, Portugal); John Ogu (Hapoel Be’er Sheva, Israel); Mikel Agu (Vitoria Setubal, Portugal); Alhassan Ibrahim (Akwa United FC)

Forwards: Ahmed Musa (Leicester City, England); Kelechi Iheanacho (Manchester City, England); Moses Simon (KAA Gent, Belgium); Alex Iwobi (Arsenal FC, England); Henry Onyekuru (KAS Eupen, Belgium); Victor Osimhen (Wolfsburg FC, Germany); Olanrewaju Kayode (FK Austria Wien, Austria).