Keita, Yak to play for Eagles again

Super Eagles’ Head Coach, Stephen Keshi has invited only 11 foreign-based players for the Senior National Team’s 2013 African Nations Cup qualifying engagement with Rwanda in Kigali on February 29.

The roll celebrates the return of power-playing forward Yakubu Ayegbeniand workhorse midfielder Sani Kaita, both of whom have not been internationally employed since the 2010 FIFA World Cup finals in South Africa.

Kaita earned a red card for retaliation in Nigeria’s second group phase match against Greece in Bloemfontein while Ayegbeni has been overlooked since missing a sitter against the Republic of Korea in Durban that would have qualified the Super Eagles for the Round of 16 at Africa’s first World Cup finals.

There is no place for Chelsea midfielder Mikel Obi, who has just returned from a seven-week injury lay-off or on-form Russia-based striker Emmanuel Emenike. 

According to naijafootball247.com, NFF’s Director of Technical, Dr. Emmanuel Ikpeme said on Thursday that the players are expected in camp on Sunday, February 26, while the Nigeria delegation to Rwanda will fly out of Abuja aboard a chartered flight on Monday, February 27.

Ikpeme also explained that all the 20 home boys who travelled to Liberia will remain in camp in Abuja until Coach Stephen Keshi names his army for the Rwanda match on February 26.

The 11 foreign pros for Rwanda:

Goalkeeper : Vincent Enyeama (Lille/France)
Defenders: Joseph Yobo (Fenerbache/Turkey), Taiye Taiwo (QPR/England)
Midfielders: Dickson Etuhu (Fulham/England), Sani Kaita (Tavriya/Ukraine), Joel Obi (inter Milan/Italy)
Strikers: Ike Uche (Granada/Spain), Osaze Odemwingie,Yakubu Aiyegbeni (Blackburn Rovers/England), Ahmed Musa (CSKA Moscow/Russia)