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In-form Victor Osimhen earns Nigeria recall

PIUS UTOMI EKPEI / AFP) (Photo by PIUS UTOMI EKPEI/AFP via Getty Images

Charleroi forward Victor Osimhen has been recalled to the 23-man Nigeria squad for next month's 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against South Africa and a friendly against Uganda three days later.

Osimhen returns for the first time since June 2017, when he was involved in a friendly against Togo, and his recall follows a rich vein of form for the Belgian side.

He has hit six goals in his last six games, including four in the last three.

There are first-time call-ups for Osimhen's U-17 World Cup-winning teammate Samuel Chuwkueze of Villarreal along with FC Ifeanyi Ubah defender Adeleye Olamilekan.

Otherwise, Rohr has largely stuck to the same squad from the last game, except for midfielder Wilfred Ndidi, who is suspended after picking up two yellow cards against Seychelles and Libya, and Ogenyi Onazi.

Captain John Mikel Obi is again missing, despite playing and scoring for his Chinese club over the weekend.

Rohr has also named five standby players, including three local boys in Kano Pillars duo Junior Lokosa and Nyima Nwangua, and Enyimba's Sunday Adetunji.

Group E leaders Nigeria face second-placed South Africa on 17 November in Johannesburg needing just one point to reach next year's Nations Cup Finals.

They return on 18 November to play the friendly against Uganda at the Stephen Keshi Stadium Asaba two days later.

THE FULL LIST

Goalkeepers: Francis Uzoho (Elche FC, Spain); Ikechukwu Ezenwa (Enyimba FC); Daniel Akpeyi (Chippa United, South Africa)

Defenders: Ola Aina (Torino FC, Italy); Adeleye Aniyikaye (FC Ifeanyi Ubah); Semi Ajayi (Rotherham United, England); Bryan Idowu (Lokomotiv Moscow, Russia); William Troost-Ekong (Udinese FC, Italy); Leon Balogun (Brighton & Hove Albion, England); Kenneth Omeruo (CD Leganes, Spain); Jamilu Collins (SC Paderborn 07, Germany)

Midfielders: Oghenekaro Etebo (Stoke City FC, England); John Ogu (Hapoel Be'er Sheva, Israel); Mikel Agu (Vitoria Setubal FC, Portugal)

Forwards: Ahmed Musa (Al Nasr FC, Saudi Arabia); Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City, England); Moses Simon (Levante FC, Spain); Victor Osimhen (Royal Charleroi SC, Belgium); Odion Ighalo (Changchun Yatai, China); Alex Iwobi (Arsenal FC, England); Samuel Kalu (Bordeaux FC, France); Isaac Success (Watford FC, England); Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal FC, Spain) Standby: Henry Onyekuru (Galatasaray SK, Turkey); Chidozie Awaziem (FC Porto, Portugal); Nyima Nwagua (Kano Pillars FC); Sunday Adetunji (Enyimba FC); Junior Lokosa (Kano Pillars FC)