Levante of Spain striker, Moses Simon and Watford of England’s Isaac Success are set to make dramatic returns to the Super Eagles, following their inclusion in the list of invitees for upcoming back-to-back Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Libya.
Simon has been out of the Eagles in recent time due to injuries, while lost of form accounted for a longer absence by Success, but both forwards have been included by national team gaffer, Gernot Rohr.
Arsenal of England forward, Alex Iwobi will also return alongside the Italy-based duo of William Troost-Ekong and Ola Aina; after all three missed the 3-0 win over Seychelles in Mahe last month due to injury.
However, while five players return, team captain, John Mikel Obi misses out once again for the second straight, such that in-form Al Nassr of Saudi Arabia attacker, Ahmed Musa, who scored the opener against Seychelles, might get to captain the squad again on October 13 in Uyo.
Musa is listed among 23 other players for the double-take AFCON 2019 qualifiers against The Mediterranean Knights, first at Godswill Akpabio International Stdium next Saturday and for the return leg at the 18,000-capacity Stade Taïeb Mhiri in Sfax, Tunisia on Tuesday, October 16.
Enyimba of Aba goalkeeper, Ikechukwu Ezenwa is the only home-based professional in the list of invitees to chase six maximum points against Group E leaders, Libya in the Matchday 3 and 4 games.
Three of the invitees are goalkeepers, being Francis Odinaka Uzoho (Elche, Spain); Ikechukwu Ezenwa (Enyimba of Aba); and Daniel Akpeyi (Chippa United, South Africa)
Eight defenders are on the list, among whom are Olaoluwa Aina (AS Torino, Italy); Abdullahi Shehu (Bursaspor, Turkey); Semi Ajayi (Rotherham United, England); and Bryan Idowu (Lokomotiv Moscow, Russia).
Others are Chidozie Awaziem (FC Porto, Portugal); William Troost-Ekong (Udinese, Italy); Leon Aderemi Balogun (Brighton Hove Albion, England); Kenneth Omeruo (Leganes, Spain); and Jamilu Collins (Padeborn, Germany)
Only four midfielders called up for both matches are Eddy Ogenyi Onazi (Trabzonspor, Turkey); Wilfred Onyinyen Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Oghenekaro Etebo (Stoke City, England); and John Ugochukwu Ogu (Hapoel Be’er Sheva, Israel).
The invited forwards are Ahmed Musa (Al Nassr, Saudi Arabia); Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City, England); Moses Simon (Levante, Italy); Henry Onyekuru (Galatasaray, Turkey); Odion Jude Ighalo (Changchun Yatai, China); Alex Iwobi (Arsenal, England); Samuel Kalu (Bordeaux, France); and Isaac Success (Watford, England).
All invited players are to report in the Akwa Ibom State capital, Uyo on Monday, 8th October.
However, they will not be joined by Crotone of Italy striker, Simeon Tochukwu Nwankwo (Simy), who was in Seychelles and scored against Liberia in a friendly last month, and Chile 2015 FIFA U17 World Cup-winning captain, Kelechi Nwakali.
