Ajibade Olusesan 
…recalls Onyekuru, Ebue
The controversy surrounding the availability of Napoli striker Victor Osimhen for the forthcoming African Cup of Nations has finally been to laid to rest as the Super Eagles caretaker coach Austin Eguavoen dropped the forward from the Nigerian squad to the competition.
The Nigeria Football Federation announced on Friday that Osimhen, defender Leon Balogun, Shehu Abdullahi and Emmanuel Dennis were dropped from the 28-man list for various reasons.
Osimhen was dropped from the squad after contracting COVID-19 while Abdullahi and Balogun would not be part of the party because of injury.
The federation also said Dennis was excused because his EPL side Watford insisted the invitation for him came late. The four players have now been replaced by Henry Onyekuru, Peter Olayinka, Tyrone Ebuehi and Semi Ajayi.
Onyekuru was part of the Nigerian team that finished third in the 2019 AFCON while West Brom’s Ajayi and Venezia’s Ebuehi have been members of the team for the past three years.
Osimhen suffered a head injury and it was initially feared the forward would be out of action for three months.
The Napoli striker, about two weeks ago, raised hopes of featuring at the tournament when he declared himself fit to play but his Serie A outfit announced on Thursday he had been tested to COVID-19 upon his return from Nigeria where had gone for a short holiday
