Nigeria will be without their star attackers, Osimhen and Chukwueze, for their upcoming World Cup qualifying matches against Lesotho and Zimbabwe. These key players sustained injuries while representing the Super Eagles last month. Osimhen has not played a match since then, while Chukwueze has recovered and will lead the attack for AC Milan against Lecce on Saturday afternoon.
The responsibility of leading Nigeria’s attack in the November qualifiers will rest on the shoulders of forwards Avoniyi, Bonifacej, and the talented Terem Moffi from Nice. Nathan Tella from Leverkusen has also received a call-up.
Nigeria will host Lesotho on Thursday before facing Zimbabwe in Rwanda. Their absence will be a blow, but the team will rely on the depth and quality of their other attacking options to overcome this challenge.
Here is the squad:
Goalkeepers: Francis Uzoho (Omonia FC/CYP), Olorunleke Ojo (Enyimba FC), Maduka Okoye (Udinese Calcio/ITA)
Defenders: Olaoluwa Aina (Nottingham Forest/ENG); Chidozie Awaziem (Boavista FC/POR), Bright Osayi-Samuel (Fenerbahce FC/TUR), Bruno Onyemaechi (Boavista FC/POR), Kenneth Omeruo (Kasimpasa FC/TUR), Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion/ENG), Calvin Bassey (Fulham FC/ENG), Jamilu Collins (Cardiff FC/WAL)
Midfielders: Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge/BEL), Joe Ayodele-Aribo (Southampton FC/ENG), Frank Onyeka (Brentford FC/ENG), Alex Iwobi (Fulham FC/ENG)
Forwards: Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City/ENG), Sadiq Umar (Real Sociedad/SPA), Moses Simon (FC Nantes/FRA), Ademola Lookman (Atalanta FC/ITA), Nathan Tella (Bayer Leverkusen/GER), Taiwo Awoniyi (Nottingham Forest/ENG), Terem Moffi (OGC Nice/FRA), Victor Boniface (Bayer Leverkusen/GER)
