John Obi Mikel has, again, been left out of the Super Eagles team as Gernot Rohr called up 23 players for a 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against South Africa on 17 November.
The same group of players would feature in a friendly with Uganda’s Cranes at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba, three days later.
Nigeria lead Group E on nine points, and will book a place in next year’s tournament in Cameroon if they defeat the second-placed Bafana Bafana in Johannesburg.
And despite scoring for Tianjin Teda in their 4-2 defeat to Shanghai Shenhua in the Chinese Super league on Sunday, Rohr did not consider the former Chelsea midfielder for the aforementioned games.
Mikel has not featured for the Eagles since he led them to the World Cup in Russia, where the three-time African champions failed to progress beyond the group phase.
Rohr, based on the list released on Monday, retained most of the players that prosecuted the back-to-back wins against Libya this month, and recalled former U17 World Cup–winning striker Victor Osimhen.
The German also handed another U17 World Cup winning forward Samuel Chukwueze his first call.
All the invited players are expected to report in Asaba on Monday, 12 November.
THE FULL LIST
Goalkeepers: Francis Uzoho (Elche FC, Spain); Ikechukwu Ezenwa (Enyimba FC); Daniel Akpeyi (Chippa United, South Africa).
Defenders: Olaoluwa Aina (Torino FC, Italy); Adeleye Aniyikaye (FC Ifeanyi Ubah); Semi Ajayi (Rotherham United, England); Bryan Idowu (Lokomotiv Moscow, Russia); William Ekong (Udinese FC, Italy); Leon Balogun (Brighton & Hove Albion, England); Kenneth Omeruo (CD Leganes, Spain); Jamilu Collins (SC Paderborn 07, Germany).
Midfielders: Oghenekaro Etebo (Stoke City FC, England); John Ogu (Hapoel Be’er Sheva, Israel); Mikel Agu (Vitoria Setubal FC, Portugal).
Forwards: Ahmed Musa (Al Nasr FC, Saudi Arabia); Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City, England); Moses Simon (Levante FC, Spain); Victor Osimhen (Royal Charleroi SC, Belgium); Odion Ighalo (Changchun Yatai, China); Alex Iwobi (Arsenal FC, England); Samuel Kalu (Bordeaux FC, France); Isaac Success (Watford FC, England); Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal FC, Spain).
Standby: Henry Onyekuru (Galatasaray SK, Turkey); Chidozie Awaziem (FC Porto, Portugal); Nyima Nwagua (Kano Pillars FC); Sunday Adetunji (Enyimba FC); Junior Lokosa (Kano Pillars FC).
