Nigeria national team picked the twenty-three players that will represent Nigeria in the Orange Africa Cup of Nations – Angola 2010, which begins next Sunday (10/01), with special focus on six strikers.
Drawn in Group B, based in Benguela, Shaibu Amodu team will face the defending champion Egypt, Benin and Mozambique, with an opener on January 12th against Egypt.
Obafemi Martins, who plays in VFL Wolfsburg of Germany, despite being injured since last November, is in the list of players that will represent Nigeria in the Orange CAN 2010.
Martins has an inflammation in his left leg but the result of recent medical examinations carried out in South Africa, where the team is currently for a training camp, gave the player as able to compete.
Here are the players for Nigeria’s national team:
Goalkeepers: Dele Aiyenugba (Bnei Yehuda/ISR), Austin Ejide (Hapoel Petah Tikva/ISR) and Vincent Enyeama (Hapoel Tel-Aviv/ISR);
Defenders: Onyekachi Apam (Nice/FRA), Elderson Echiejile (Rennes/FRA), Obinna Nwaneri (Sion/SUI), Yusuf Mohammed (Sion/SUI), Chidi Odiah (CSKA /RUS), Danny Shittu (Bolton/ING), Taye Taiwo (Marseille/FRA) and Joseph Yobo (Everton/ENG);
Midfielders: Youssouf Ayila (Dinamo Kiev/UCR), Dickson Etuhu (Fulham/ENG), Sani Kaita (Lokomotiv Moscow/RUS), John Obi Mikel (Chelsea/ENG), Seyi Olofinjana (Hull City/ENG) and Kalu Uche (Almeria/SPN);
Strikers: Yakubu Aiyegbeni (Everton/ENG), Chinedu Ogbuke Obasi (Hoffenheim/GER), Nwankwo Kanu (Portsmouth/ENG), Obafemi Martins (Wolfsburg/GER), Victor Obinna (Malaga/SPN), and Peter Osaze Odemwingie (Lokomotiv Moscow/RUS).
Nations Cup Record:
1962: Did not qualify
1963: Qualified for the finals, did not progress past the first round
1965: Did not enter
1968: Did not qualify
1970: Did not enter
1972: Did not qualify
1974: Did not qualify
1976: Semifinalists
1978: Semifinalists
1980: WINNERS
1982: Qualified for the finals, did not progress past the first round
1984: Runners-up
1986: Did not qualify
1988: Runners-up
1990: Runners-up
1992: Semifinalists
1994: WINNERS
1996: Qualified for the finals but withdrew
1998: Suspended
2000: Runners-up
2002: Semifinalists
2004: Semifinalists
2006: Semifinalists
2008: Quarterfinals
Source: Angop
