5 players who were surprisingly included in Super Eagles' 30-man list
Nigeria technical adviser Gernot Rohr has released his 30-man provisional list for the build up to his year’s FIFA World Cup staging in Russia next month.
Topping the list of players invited for the friendly games against DR Congo, England and Czech Republic is the skipper of the team, John Obi Mikel
Also making a return to the national team are Brian Idowu, who plies his trade in Russia, Tyrone Ebuehi, while Simeon Nwakwo was handed his first call up.
However, Legit.ng will be taking a look at five who surprisingly made the Super Eagles provisional list as released by the NFF earlier today.
1. Junior Lokosa
The striker has been impressive for his Nigeria Professional Football League side Kano Pillars this season scoring 16 goals in 21 matches for his team.
He joined the NPFL side from a lower league last season, and barely 18 months at the Kano based club, he has attracted interest from the national team coaches.
Lokosa is three goals away from smashing Anthony Okpotu's 19-goal record last season, while has has just seven goals to smash the all-time NPFL goal record (23) set by Enyimba's Mfon Udoh few seasons back.
Meanwhile, what makes his inclusion surprising is the fact that he was considered ahead of the likes of Junior Ajayi, who has been in fine form for Al Ahly of Egypt.
Lokosa also made the cut ahead of Everton's forward Henry Onyekuru, who has been recovering from a devastating injury he suffered late last year.
The other strikers that the Kano Pillars man has replaced includes Brown Ideye, Obafemi Martin and Dickson Nwaekeme.
2. Joel Obi
He currently plays for Italian Serie A side Torino and he has scored five goals in 22 league games for his team.
The 25-year-old was invited for the friendly games against Poland and Serbia in March this year, but the midfielder didn't justify his inclusion in the team.
Obi was an outcast in the team as his impact was not felt and it was apparent that he wasn't used to the crop players in the current Super Eagles team.
However, he has been handed another opportunity to prove his worth or fail to make the World Cup list due to be released early next month.
3. Uche Agbo
PAY ATTENTION: Become a member of the leading sports Facebook group 'Naija Football Fan Zone'
The 22-year-old defender currently plays for Standard Liege in the Belgian topflight, however, his inclusion in the team comes as a surprise as he has not been able to prove himself in the last few time got invited to the team.
4. Dele Ajiboye
The Plateau United goalkeeper is another surprise inclusion in Gernot Rohr's team as the shot stopper does not possess the requisite experience to triumph in the national team.
He was part of the team assembled by the head coach Gernot Rohr to face Poland and Serbia earlier this year.
Though, he featured for the Flying Eagles few years back but the experience to man the post when the national teams plays might be missing.
5. Daniel Akpeyi
The Chippa United goalkeeper is the most experienced Super Eagles goalkeeper, but his experience has not been translated into action on the pitch.
Akpeyi's blunder against South Africa in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers cannot be easily overlooked, reasons inclusion in the list is generating some heat.
Since that time, he has not started any game for the three-time African champions, but this time, he has a chance to fight his way back to the national team before the World Cup kicks off on June 14.
Russia 2018: Nigeria can get to the quarterfinal of World Cup - Ex-Super Eagles - on Legit.ng TV
Source: Legit.ng
