Nigeria Content Online

Super Eagles coach Samson Siasia has handed a national team
recall to the duo of Obafemi Martins and Ikechukwu Uche ahead of this month’s
2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Ethiopia.

They were both included in the 24-man list released by Siasia on
Wednesday in Abuja. Martins hasn’t featured for the Super Eagles since the
conclusion of the last FIFA World Cup in South Africa, no thanks to a dip in
form. But his recent run of games along with his cup-winning strike for
Birmingham City in their Carling Cup final victory over Arsenal ensured he got
a look-in from Siasia. Uche, for his part, hasn’t featured for the Super Eagles
since 2009 no thanks to two career threatening knee injuries. Although the Real
Zaragoza forward was included in the provisional list of players ahead of last
year’s World Cup, his match rustiness, owing to his long injury layoff, ensured
that he was excluded from the final 23-man squad for the tournament by former Super
Eagles helmsman Lars Lagerback.

He however recently made a return to action for the Spanish
first division side, and even got to score a goal in his side’s 2-1 win over
Athletic Bilbao at the start of the month. He now looks set to fight for a spot
in the Super Eagles attack ahead of the all important game against the
Ethiopians scheduled for March 27 at Abuja’s National Stadium. But getting into
the match-day squad won’t be a stroll in the park for Uche and Martins as they
will face stiff competition in the form of Everton’s Victor Anichebe, who’s
also staging a return to the Super Eagles after missing out of the World Cup,
Denmark based Peter Utaka and Warri Wolves’ Ekigho Ehiosun who made a scoring
debut in the win over the Sierra Leoneans. Solomon Okoronkwo, who now plays for
Norwegian side Aalesund after ending his three year romance with Russian side
Saturn Moscow, will also fight for a shirt in the Super Eagles’ attack.

Reunion

It will be a reunion of sorts with Siasia for the 24-year-old
Okoronkwo who was an integral part of the Nigerian sides that finished second
respectively at the 2005 FIFA Under 20 World Cup and the football event of the
2008 Beijing Olympics. Another player who will be reunited with Siasia is
Israel based central defender, Efe Ambrose, who was in the 2005 Flying Eagles
side.

Other members of the 2005 Flying Eagles side in the 24-man list
are: Heartland of Owerri’s Chibuzor Okonkwo, Xanthi of Greece’s Adefemi
Olubayo, Marseille’s Taye Taiwo, Ukraine based Dele Adeleye, and Chelsea’s
Mikel Obi. Inter Milan’s Joel Obi, who made his Super Eagles debut in the
international friendly against Sierra Leone, is also in the side, and he will
be joined by Obiora Nwankwo who could be in lone for his senior debut.

Other players in line for debut appearances against the Ethiopians are AC
Milan youngster Nnamdi Oduamadi, who is a natural right winger, as well as
central midfielder Fengor Ogude of Norwegian side Valerenga. The Super Eagles
presently trail Guinea on the log table after two round of matches. With four
round of matches to go until the end of the qualifiers, the Super Eagles must
win their remaining games to stand a chance of qualifying for the Cup of
Nations ahead of the Guineans, who grabbed a 1-0 win last time out in October
2010.