Chelle Names 24-Man Super Eagles Squad for Tanzania Double-Header, Iheanacho Left Out

Eric Chelle has named his 24-man Super Eagles squad for the must-win AFCON 2027 qualifying double-header against Tanzania, and the headline is who is not in it.

Kelechi Iheanacho, the most in-form striker in Europe, has been left out. Victor Osimhen is out through injury. Maduka Okoye has been dropped.

The Super Eagles host Tanzania at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo on Friday, November 13, before the return leg away in Tanzania on Tuesday, November 17. Nigeria are second in Group L on three points from two games, three behind Guinea-Bissau, and both games are must-win.

The squad

Goalkeepers: Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United), Francis Uzoho (ALS Omonia), Arthur Okonkwo (Charlton Athletic).

Defenders: Bruno Onyemaechi (Olympiacos), Ola Aina (Nottingham Forest), Benjamin Fredrick (Brentford), Semi Ajayi (Hull City), Calvin Bassey (Fulham), Chibuike Nwaiwu (Trabzonspor), Bright Osayi-Samuel (Birmingham City), Abdullahi Bewene (Banik Ostrava).

Midfielders: Wilfred Ndidi (Besiktas, captain), Alex Iwobi (Fulham), Alhassan Yusuf (New England Revolution), Tochukwu Nnadi (Marseille), Samson Tijani (Podbrezova), Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (Lazio), Mubarak Suleiman (Slavia Prague, first call-up).

Forwards: Ademola Lookman (Atletico Madrid), Moses Simon (Paris FC), Akor Adams (Venezia), Tolu Arokodare (Ajax), Moses Usor (LASK), Taiwo Awoniyi (Coventry City).

The Iheanacho omission

The biggest talking point is Iheanacho. The 29-year-old has scored 17 goals and provided three assists in 14 league games for Bursaspor this season, including a club-record run of 12 straight league games scoring. He scored again on Friday, opening the scoring in the 26th minute of Bursaspor's 1-1 draw at Antalyaspor. And he is not in the squad.

Chelle has instead gone with three centre-forwards: Adams, Arokodare and Awoniyi. Adams has four goals and one assist in 13 games in all competitions for Venezia. Arokodare scored again on Sunday, heading in after three minutes in Ajax's 2-2 draw at Twente, his sixth goal in his last five matches. Awoniyi scored his first Coventry goal in the win over Sunderland last weekend.

The question Chelle will have to answer, if the goals do not come in Uyo, is why the most in-form striker in Europe was left at home.

Osimhen out

Osimhen's absence was forced. The striker strained his left knee in Galatasaray's 2-0 Champions League win over Stuttgart on Tuesday, November 3, and an MRI found a loose body in the joint. He underwent successful arthroscopic surgery on Saturday, November 7, at Maslak Acibadem Hospital in Istanbul, performed by club doctor Yener Ince. Galatasaray gave no recovery timeline.

It is his second layoff of the season, after a right adductor strain in September cost him three games. Since returning, he had scored 10 goals in 11 games and was the Super Lig's top scorer. The injury also pauses the Yekini record chase: Osimhen is on 35 international goals, two behind Rashidi Yekini's 37.

The other omissions

Okoye is the other big name missing. The Udinese goalkeeper has been dropped, with Uzoho returning in his place. There was no official explanation from the NFF.

George Ilenikhena, who scored on his Super Eagles debut against Madagascar in September, is also out. Samuel Chukwueze is out after hip surgery in London, and reports say he could be sidelined into 2027. Frank Onyeka is out with a groin injury. Raphael Onyedika, in good form with Eintracht Frankfurt, is also missing, with no injury reported.

The winners

The squad has one debutant: Mubarak Suleiman. The 19-year-old Slavia Prague midfielder, the youngest player in the squad, earns his first senior call-up after starting for Slavia against Arsenal in the Champions League on Wednesday. Samson Tijani earns his first competitive call-up.

Nnadi and Dele-Bashiru return after injury layoffs, Alhassan Yusuf is back, and Uzoho returns in goal. Usor, who scored on his debut against Madagascar, is in again.

The stakes

Nigeria must win both games. They sit second in Group L, three points behind Guinea-Bissau after the 3-0 defeat in Bissau in September. Tanzania are bottom on one point, but they are already qualified for the 2027 tournament as co-hosts, so they have nothing to lose and everything to spoil.

The away venue for the return leg is still being reported differently, with some outlets naming Dar es Salaam and others Zanzibar's Amaan Stadium.

The debate now is whether Chelle got the biggest call right. Was leaving Iheanacho out a mistake, or the right call? And who starts at number nine in Uyo?