Nigerians Victor Osimhen and Emmanuel Dennis forced out of Africa Cup of Nations
Nigeria were forced to make four late changes to their Africa Cup of Nations final squad, with Napoli striker Victor Osimhen and Watford winger Emmanuel Dennis missing.
Defender Shehu Abdullahi and Leon Balogun are the two other players who will not participate in the biennial African football competition organized by Cameroon, which will take place from January 9 to February 6.
Osimhen was ruled out after contracting the coronavirus and has yet to fully recover from facial fractures that required surgery, while Watford will not release Dennis after receiving his invitation to the tournament too late.
Osimhen and Dennis have been replaced respectively by Henry Onyekuru of Olympiakos and Peter Olayinka of Slavia Prague.
Tyrone Ebuehi of Venice and Oluwasemilogo Ajayi – who plays for English second division club West Brom – replace Abdullahi and Balogun.
Revised team:
Goalkeepers: Francis Uzoho (AC Omonia / CYP), John Noble (Enyimba), Daniel Akpeyi (Kaizer Chiefs / RSA), Maduka Okoye (Sparta Rotterdam / NED)
Defenders: Chidozie Awaziem (Alanyaspor FC / TUR), Kenneth Omeruo (CD Leganes / SPA), Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion / ENG), William Ekong (Watford / ENG), Olaoluwa Aina (Torino FC / ITA), Jamilu Collins ( SC Padeborn 07 / GER), Tyrone Ebuehi (Venezia FC / ITA), Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto / POR), Olisa Ndah (Orlando Pirates / RSA)
Midfielder: Frank Onyeka (Brentford / ENG), Joseph Ayodele-Aribo (Rangers / SCO), Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City / ENG), Chidera Ejuke (CSKA Moscow / RUS), Kelechi Nwakali (SD Huesca / SPA)
Forwards: Ahmed Musa (Fatih Karagumruk / TUR), Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal FC / SPA), Henry Onyekuru (Olympiakos FC / GRE), Moses Simon (FC Nantes / FRA), Sadiq Umar (UD Almeria / SPA), Taiwo Awoniyi ( Union Berlin / GER), Odion Jude Ighalo (Al-Shabab Riyad / KSA), Alex Iwobi (Everton / ENG), Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City / ENG), Peter Olayinka (SK Slavia Prague / CZE)
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