NO PLACE FOR EX-STAR
Eagles look past Obi – again
Former captain John Obi Mikel has again been left out of Nigeria’s squad‚ signalling the potential end of his international career as coach Gernot Rohr unveiled 23 players to face South Africa in Johannesburg in just under three weeks.
Obi Mikel‚ formerly with Chelsea and now playing his club football in China‚ also missed last month’s two matches against Libya in the 2019 African Cup of Nations qualifying campaign and is again ignored by the coach‚ seemingly wanting to freshen up the squad since the World Cup finals in Russia.
With Victor Moses having called a premature halt to his international career and Wilfred Ndidi suspended for the Group E qualifier at FNB Stadium in Johannesburg on November 17‚ Nigeria are missing three key elements as they get ready to face South Africa in a match in which either side‚ if they win‚ will book their place at the finals in Cameroon next June.
The 23-man squad named by Rohr is spearheaded by Odion Ighalo‚ who scored five goals in this month’s two qualifiers against Libya‚ which the Super Eagles won 4-0 at home and 3-2 away to go top of the standings‚ and includes four players from the English Premier League‚ as well as Chippa United goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi.
Squad: Goalkeepers: Daniel Akpeyi (Chippa United‚ South Africa)‚ Ikechukwu Ezenwa (Enyimba)‚ Francis Uzoho (Elche‚ Spain)
Defenders: Ola Aina (Torino‚ Italy)‚ Semi Ajayi (Rotherham United‚ England)‚ Adeleye Aniyikaye (Ifenayi Ubah)‚ Leon Balogun (Brighton and Hove Albion‚ England)‚ Jamilu Collins (Paderborn‚ Germany)‚ William Ekong Troost (Udinese‚ Italy)‚ Bryan Idowu (Lokomotiv Moscow‚ Russia)‚ Kenneth Omeruo (Leganes‚ Spain)
Midfielders: Mikel Agu (Vitoria Setubal‚ Portugal)‚ Oghenekaro Etebo (Stoke City‚ England)‚ John Ogu (Hapoel Be’er Sheva‚ Israel)
Forwards: Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal‚ Spain)‚ Odion Ighalo (Changchun Yatai‚ China)‚ Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City‚ England)‚ Alex Iwobi (Arsenal‚ England)‚ Samuel Kalu (Girondins Bordeaux‚ France)‚ Ahmed Musa (Al Nasr‚ Saudi Arabia)‚ Victor Osimhen (Charleroi‚ Belgium)‚ Moses Simon (Levante‚ Spain)‚ Isaac Success (Watford‚ England).