Injured Emmanuel Emenike has been left out by Nigeria for a World Cup qualifier against Kenya, while Obafemi Martins has been recalled.
Emenike has exclusively informed MTNFootball.com that he has yet to recover
fully from a hamstring injury which he suffered during last month’s AFCON in South Africa.
Martins failed to make the final cut for the
Nations Cup, but he has been banging in the
goals for his Spanish club Levante to earn
another call-up by the African champions after he failed to shine in a friendly against
Venezuela last year.
Also overlooked is skipper Joseph Yobo, who
played only a bit role as Nigeria won a third
Nations Cup title last month.
Eleven of those called were in the squad that
lifted the AFCON, while there is a surprise call for Ukraine-based Babatunde Michael, who played for the Dream Team at the inaugural 2011 CAF U-23 Championship in Morocco.
Midfielder Nnamdi Oduamadi, who also shone brightly for the last U-23 squad in their qualifying games, is called. But the biggest dark horse, so to say, is Portugal-based midfielder John Ogu.
African champions Nigeria take on Kenya’s
Harambee Stars in a 2014 FIFA World Cup race on March 23 in Calabar.
Nigeria lead the group on four points while Kenya are bottom of the standings on a point.
THE CALL-UPS:
- Goalkeepers: Vincent Enyeama (Maccabi Tel
Aviv, Israel); Austin Ejide (Hapoel Be’er Sheva, Israel) - Defenders: Efe Ambrose (Celtic FC, Scotland);
Elderson Echiejile (FC Braga, Portugal);
Kenneth Omeruo (ADO Den Haag, The Netherlands) - Midfielders: John Mikel Obi (Chelsea FC,
England); Ogenyi Onazi (SS Lazio, Italy); Fegor Ogude (Valerenga FC, Norway); John Ogu (Academica de Coimbra, Portugal) - Forwards: Ahmed Musa (CSKA Moscow,
Russia); Brown Ideye (Dynamo Kyiv, Ukraine); Victor Moses (Chelsea FC, England); Babatunde Michael (Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine); Nnamdi Oduamadi (A.S Varese 1910 FC, Italy); Obafemi Martins (Levante FC, Spain)
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