Olympic team coach Austin Eguavoen has called-up Super Eagles winger Ahmed Musa as well as Okeychukwu Uchebo to beef up the squad which is intensifying preparations for the crucial return leg against Tanzania.
Musa, who is also listed by Coach John Obuh of the Flying Eagles, has been torn between the senior and the age-grade teams.
Eguavoen, who is confident beating the Dream Team V would have the upper hand when Nigeria face Tanzania in the second leg of their Olympic qualifier on June 18 in Benin after losing the first leg 1-0 last weekend, decided to call-up Uchebo and Ganiyu Oseni due to doubts about the availability of Nosa Igiebor and Anthony Ujah.
Both players were recalled by Lillestrom for a Cup game this weekend, and Eguavoen says they are major doubts. Even Rabiu Ibrahim invited to replace Nosa has opted out because of injury.
“We are not sure of the availability of Nosa and Ujah because their clubs have a cup game this weekend but we are making efforts to see if the club could release at least on of them,” he said.
Nonetheless, returning to the squad will be forwards Odion Ighalo and Sone Aluko.
From the domestic front, Eguavoen has nominated three additional players. Enyimba’s Usman Amodu, Kwara United’s exciting young Kabiru Sanusi and Kano Pillars’ goalkeeper Theophilus Afelokhai.
Excused from the squad is Nurudeen Orelesi who was allowed to return to Albania to finalise on his club contract deal.
Fatai Kehinde was also granted permission to return to feature in his club’s league game this weekend, while Izu Azuka has joined up with his Libyan club Al-Ittihad in Ijebu Ode for their CAF Confederations Cup game against Sunshine stars.
The winner of the two-legged tie advances to a mini eight-nation tournament that would determine the first three Africa representatives for the London 2012 Olympics while the fourth team from the tournament will engage an Asian side in a play-off.
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