AFP

Nigeria call up injured Mikel Obi for crucial qualifier

Mon, 02 Nov 19:05:03 2009

LAGOS (AFP) - Nigeria have selected Chelsea midfielder John Mikel Obi, who is sidelined with an ankle injury, for a crucial World Cup qualifier against Kenya on November 14 in Nairobi.

Mikel missed Nigeria's World Cup qualifying match at home to Mozambique last month as a result of the injury.

Russia-based right fullback Chidi Odiah has been reconsidered by coach Shuaibu Amodu after he was frozen out of the team's last three matches.

Nigeria need to win in Kenya and hope Tunisia do not do so in Mozambique so as to finish top of Group Two and qualify for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Vincent Enyeama (Hapoel Tel Aviv/ISR), Greg Etafia (Moroka Swallows/RSA), Dele Aiyenugba (Bnei-Yehuda/ISR)

Defenders: Onyekachi Apam (Nice/FRA), Elderson Echiejile (Rennes/FRA), Chidi Odiah (CSKA Moscow/RUS), Taye Taiwo (Marseille/FRA), Joseph Yobo (Everton/ENG), Obinna Nwaneri (FC Sion/SUI), Danny Shittu (Bolton/ENG), Dele Adeleye (Sparta Rotterdam/NED)

Midfielders: John Mikel Obi (Chelsea/ENG), Seyi Olofinjana (Hull City/ENG), Yusuf Ayila (Dynamo Kiev/UKR), Sani Kaita (Locomotiv Moscow/RUS), Oluwafemi Ajilore (Groningen/NED)

Strikers: Obafemi Martins (Wolfsburg/GER), Osaze Odemwingie (Locomotiv Moscow/RUS), Nwankwo Kanu (Portsmouth/ENG), Yakubu Aiyegbeni (Everton/ENG), Michael Eneramo (Esperance/TUN), Victor Obinna (Malaga/SPA), Joseph Akpala (Club Brugge/BEL)

 

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  1. 45.Chelsea should win this game with a 2 goal lead,­ but­ every time Chelsea face the smaller teams we seem­ to­ lose control, don't know if its because Chelsea­ are­ big-headed before going in the game, I mean look­ at­ these two game:

    (26 Sept 2009: Wigan Athletic 3 -­ 1­ Chelsea)
    (17 Oct 2009: Aston Villa 2 - 1­ Chelsea)

    I­ will say though, we are at home so my­ prediction for­ this game will have to be 3-1.

    Arsenal­ away to­ Sunderland, i hope its a draw but Arsenal do­ have the­ better team. 1-1 i predict.

    Man Utd hosting­ Everton,­ Man Utd will win this game 2-1, Man Utd have­ a 12th man­ on the pitch.

    Tottenham Hotspur Host Wigan­ Athletic, I­ predict a draw. 2-2.

    From Obikain, on Sat 21 Nov 7:10PM
  2. 45.Chelsea should win this game with a 2 goal lead,­ but­ every time Chelsea face the smaller teams we seem­ to­ lose control, don't know if its because Chelsea­ are­ big-headed before going in the game, I mean look­ at­ these two game:

    (26 Sept 2009: Wigan Athletic 3 -­ 1­ Chelsea)
    (17 Oct 2009: Aston Villa 2 - 1­ Chelsea)

    I­ will say though, we are at home so my­ prediction for­ this game will have to be 3-1.

    Arsenal­ away to­ Sunderland, i hope its a draw but Arsenal do­ have the­ better team. 1-1 i predict.

    Man Utd hosting­ Everton,­ Man Utd will win this game 2-1, Man Utd have­ a 12th man­ on the pitch.

    Tottenham Hotspur Host Wigan­ Athletic, I­ predict a draw. 2-2.

    From Obikain, on Sat 21 Nov 7:10PM
  3. my fellow Nigerians... its disheartening to see that we­ criticize our soccer players with such passion.. it is­ almost as if we are wishing them a bad fate in the­ upcoming fixture.

    I see such negativity everywhere in­ Nigeria and it is little wonder our great country is­ still backward because its not the name or location of­ a country that makes it great. It the people in­ it!

    Good luck super Eagles and God bless Nigeria.

    From The One, on Tue 10 Nov 5:54AM
  4. well.let us keep on prayer bcos nothing that is­ inpossible,my GUY­ sssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss­ ssssssssssssssss

    From Saidu, on Mon 9 Nov 1:36AM
  5. 9ja 2 qualify 4 d 2010 world cup?????? injury bound­ mikel invited 2 camp????? lol... @#$%### d so called­ amodu @#$% bull is a blind idiot leadiding deaf n dumb­ fools..

    From dave, on Sun 8 Nov 4:29PM
  6. ITS A SHAME THERE IS NO WAY OF BLOCKING ARTICLES­ SUBMITTED ON THIS SITE BY NITWITS AND MORONS ON THE­ CHANCES OF SUPER EAGLES IN THE LAST 2010 WORLD CUP­ QUALIFYING MATCH AGAINST KENYA. FOOTBALL IS NOT AN­ EXACT SCIENCE AND IT ALL BOILS DOWN TO HOW GOOD YOU ARE­ ON THE DAY AND NOTHING ELSE. I GUESS MOST OF THESE­ IDIOTS HAVE NO UNDERSTANDING OF EVEN THIS SIMPLE­ BASICS.

    From a_soyebi, on Sun 8 Nov 4:35AM
  7. am sure Nigeria has lost hope of SA . Am not part of­ try your luck qualification
    Nigeria has failed to learn­ from Germany 2006 and foolishly found themselves in the­ delima of if Tunisia loose and we win then we go­ through ............ what a calculation from a great­ football nation anyway am out

    From alozieuk, on Thu 5 Nov 6:24AM
  8. What do you guys expect from Amodu, when is bosses in­ Abuja are more of the same, from president Yar'dua­ (or is it TURAI)LOL, who appoints minister of justice­ who is suppose to uphold the law but choose to defends­ criminals (Ibori et al)and Lulu who knows nothing about­ football either old or modern or Lamido Sanusi(CBN­ GOV.) & madam Waziri (EFCC) who also shift the­ focus on the war on corruption from the public sector­ albeit IBORI & co to private sector and the back­ door for ISLAMIC BANK tocome in to Nigeria. God will­ judge them all and the day of the jackal will come. KM

    From KM, on Wed 4 Nov 2:05AM
  9. To invite an unfit Mikel who has not played for about­ 5weeks now shows the level of Amodu's mediocrity.­ He has failed Nigerian no doubt about that. Only­ Tunisians can choose whether to go to South Africa or­ not.
    McCarthy (Warri, Nigeria)

    From mckoyng, on Tue 3 Nov 11:08PM
  10. Inviting an unfit player only shows the crass ignorance­ of a coach that practically lacks modern day football­ wisdom and experience at the top level.A phone call to­ stamford bridge would confirm Mikel's fitness and­ availability.Nigerians already knows that our football­ is being run by people without transparent pedigree and­ tangible credentials.Qualifying for the world cup for­ us now would be purely a modern day miracle and not as­ a result of proactive planning.

    From olladipo, on Tue 3 Nov 8:56AM
  11. It seems we can only qualify through our mind. The hope­ lies only in our dream, and when we wake up tomorrow­ morning we are left with reality. SA10, how i so desire­ GWG is there?!

    From Dynamic, on Tue 3 Nov 7:47AM
  12. Amodu has nothing to offer as well as the current­ football house. They should all be sacked. They are a­ disgrace to Nigeria and Africa at large

    From gabiosky2006, on Tue 3 Nov 4:33AM
  13. No chance for them to qualify..

    From Half A Brain, on Tue 3 Nov 4:31AM
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