Blow for Nigeria as key strikers drop out of Africa Cup of Nations

Nigeria have been hit by a double blow to their attack for the Africa Cup of Nations finals with key strikers Emmanuel Dennis and Victor Osimhen dropping out of the squad for the tournament in Cameroon.

Defenders Leon Balogun and Abdullahi Shehu have also withdrawn because of injury, the Nigerian Football Federation said as it announced a revised 28-man squad on Friday.

Dennis is not being released by Watford because the Nigerian federation did not request him for the tournament in time. Watford manager Claudio Ranieri earlier this week revealed Nigeria missed the deadline to inform Watford of their intention to select him, giving the club the power to decide whether to release the 24-year-old striker for international duty.

While the struggling Premier League club have said nothing since, Dennis was removed from a revised squad list for the finals in Cameroon, which kicks off on January 9.

Osimhen is also out after contracting Covid-19. He suffered facial fractures playing for Napoli in November in a clash of heads with Inter Milan’s Milan Skriniar and required titanium plates and screws fixed to his cheekbone and eye socket.

His club said he would be out for three months, but the forward returned to training just before Christmas, wearing a protective mask, and travelled to Nigeria last week. But he has contracted Covid-19 for a second time and gone into isolation in Nigeria, cancelling a trip back to Italy for a further check-up on his cheekbone.

The 23-year-old is asymptomatic, according to a statement by his club, Napoli.

"Consequently, the local authorities have ordered that Osimhen self-isolate and the check-up will be rescheduled after he has tested negative and his period of isolation ends," Napoli said.

Nigeria have called up Peter Olayinka from Czech club Slavia Prague and Olympiakos winger Henry Onyekuru to replace the two forwards while Semi Ajayi from Championship club West Bromwich Albion and Tyrone Ebuehi, who pays at Venezia in Serie A, come in as defenders.

They play their first Group D game against Egypt in Garoua on January 11.

Nigeria's revised Afcon squad

Goalkeepers: Daniel Akpeyi (Kaizer Chiefs), John Noble (Enyimba), Maduka Okoye (Sparta Rotterdam), Francis Uzoho (Omonia Nicosia)

Defenders: Olaoluwa Aina (Torino), Semi Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion), Chidozie Awaziem (Alanyaspor), Jamilu Collins (Paderborn), Tyrone Ebuehi (Venezia), Olisa Ndah (Orlando Pirates), Kenneth Omeruo (Leganes), Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto), William Troost Ekong (Watford)

Midfielders: Joseph Ayodele-Aribo (Glasgow Rangers), Chidera Ejuke (CSKA Moscow), Alex Iwobi (Everton), Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City), Kelechi Nwakali (Huesca), Frank Onyeka (Brentford)

Forwards: Taiwo Awoniyi (Union Berlin), Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal), Odion Ighalo (Al Shabab), Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City), Ahmed Musa (Fatih Karagumruk), Peter Olayinka (Slavia Prague), Henry Onyekuru (Olympiakos), Moses Simon (Nantes), Sadiq Umar (Almeria)

Reuters