Big Names Left Out
Nigeria coach Eric Chelle has named his 24 man squad for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying double header against Tanzania. Striker Victor Osimhen, Kelechi Iheanacho, and goalkeeper Maduka Okoye are all absent from the selection.
Osimhen is out after undergoing surgery on Nov. 7, with a return expected in a couple of weeks. Iheanacho was left out despite scoring 17 goals and making three assists in 14 games in the Turkish second tier. Okoye was also omitted, reportedly following his late arrival to camp in September. Francis Uzoho takes his place in the squad.
High Stakes Without Osimhen
The absence of Osimhen leaves a major gap in attack. Nigeria have won 29 of the 51 matches Osimhen has played, scoring 94 goals. That gives them a 56.9% win rate with him on the pitch.
Without him, Nigeria have won only 25 of 62 games, with their win rate falling to 40.3%. Their scoring average drops from 1.84 goals per game to 1.27. In World Cup qualifying, Nigeria had a 71.4% win rate with Osimhen, but had zero wins without him. In September, the Super Eagles lost 0-3 without Osimhen after a 2-1 win over Madagascar.
Young Squad and Match Dates
Captain Wilfred Ndidi will lead the team. The squad includes defenders Calvin Bassey and Ola Aina, midfielders Alex Iwobi and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, and forwards Ademola Lookman, Akor Adams, and Taiwo Awoniyi. Seven players under 25 are included, such as Tochukwu Nnadi and teenager Mubarak Suleiman.
Nigeria host Tanzania at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo on Friday Nov. 13. They will then fly out for the return match at Zanzibar's Amman Stadium on Tuesday Nov. 17. Nigeria sit second in Group L, where only one team will qualify.
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