Yakubu & Kaita Recalled

Yakubu & Kaita

Nigeria head coach, Stephen Keshi, has handed Yakubu Aiyegbeni and Sani Kaita recalls to the Super Eagles for the 2013 Afcon qualifying against Rwanda.

Yakubu and Kaita are among 11 foreign-based players named in the side to face the Amavubi of Rwanda on February 29 in Kigali.

The duo has been in international football wilderness following Nigeria's dismal show at the 2010 Fifa World Cup in South Africa.

Blackburn Rovers' striker, Yakubu was left out of the Eagles for his schoolboy's miss against South Korea while Kaita got a red card in the game against Greece and ever since then both players became Super Eagles' outcasts.

But the return of Yakubu and Kaita to the national team setup ends close to 20 months of both players inactivity at the international front.

Other foreign-based players called up by Keshi are Vincent Enyeama, Joseph Yobo, Taye Taiwo, Joel Obi, Dickson Etuhu, Victor Moses, Ahmed Musa, Ikechukwu Uche and Peter Osaze Odemwingie.

However, Keshi has left out Espanyol new man, Kalu Uche and Chelsea midfielder, John Mikel Obi from the squad to face Rwanda.

Also, the 20 players from the Nigeria Premier League (NPL) who travelled for Wednesday's international friendly against Liberia, will be part of the pre-2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying against Rwanda.

The Super Eagles made up of players from the nation's top flight defeated Liberia's Lone Star 2-0 in Monrovia.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Director of Technical, Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme said on Thursday that the players are expected in camp on February 26 while the Nigeria delegation to Rwanda will fly out of Abuja aboard a chartered flight on February 27.

Europe-based players:

Goalkeeper: Vincent Enyeama (Lille, France)

Defenders: Joseph Yobo (Fenerbahce, Turkey), Taiye Taiwo (QPR, England)

Midfielders: Dickson Etuhu (Fulham, England), Sani Kaita (Tavriya, Ukraine), Joel Obi (Inter Milan, Italy), Victor Moses (Wigan, England)

Strikers: Ikechukwu Uche (Granada, Spain), Osaze Odemwingie (West Brom, England) Yakubu Ayegbeni (Blackburn Rovers, England), Ahmed Musa (CSKA Moscow, Russia)

Locally-based players:

Chigozie Agbim, Godfrey Oboabona, Juwon Oshaniwa, Gabriel Reuben, Uche Ossai, Sunday Mba, Kalu Uche, Papa Idris, Henry Uche, Osasco Omamo, Obinna Nwachukwu, Izu Azuka, Ejike Uzoenyi, Sunday Emmanuel, Kabir Umar, Kingsley Salami, Uche Oguchi, Okemute Odah, Bartholomew Ibenegbu, Azubuike Egwueke