Nigerian national team coach Gernot Rohr has released a preliminary 30-man squad for the upcoming FIFA World-Cup.

The Super Eagles handler released the names of the 30 players who will slug it out for a place in the final 23-man squad that will represent the country at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

After so many calls to include home based players, Rohr called up Kano Pillar's Junior Lokosa after a sterling season in the Nigeria Professional League where the striker has bagged 18 goals in 21 matches.

Another new face in the squad is Crotone's Simeon Nwankwo. The 26-year old has had a fine form in the Italian topflight leading Crotone's attack with six goals in his last seven matches.

Gernot Rohr made no changes in the goalkeeping department as Ikechukwu Ezenwa, Daniel Akpeyi, Dele Ajiboye and Deportivo's Francis Uzoho all received call-ups.

Regulars like skipper John Mikel Obi, Victor Moses, Odion Ighalo, Abdullahi Shehu and William Troost-Ekong made the cut .

Also called up to the team are Alex Iwobi, Kelechi Iheanacho, Moses Simon, Ahmed Musa and Wilfred Ndidi to name a few.

Some notable absentees include; Brown Ideye, Anthony Nwakaeme, Victor Osimhen, Kayode Olanrewaju and Dele Alampasu.

The full list of called-up of players are:

GOALKEEPERS: Ikechukwu Ezenwa (Enyimba) Daniel Akpeyi (Chippa United) Francis Uzoho (Deportivo de La Coruna) Dele Ajiboye (Plateau United)

DEFENDERS: William Troost-Ekong (Bursaspor) Leon Balogun (Mainz 05) Olaoluwa Aina (Chelsea) Kenneth Omeruo (Kasimpasa) Bryan Idowu (Amkar Perm) Chidozie Awaziem (Nantes) Abdullahi Shehu (Bursaspor) Elderson Echiejile (Cercle Brugge) Tyronne Ebuehi (ADO Den Haag) Stephen Eze (Lokomotiv Plovdiv)

MIDFIELDERS: John Obi Mikel (Tianjin Teda) Ogenyi Onazi (Trabzonspor) John Ogu (Hapoel Beer Sheva) Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City) Uche Agbo (Standard Liege) Oghenekaro Etebo (Las Palmas) Joel Obi (Torino) Mikel Agu (Bursaspor)

FORWARDS:Odion Ighalo (Changchun Yatai) Ahmed Musa (CSKA Moscow) Victor Moses (Chelsea) Alex Iwobi (Arsenal) Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City) Moses Simon (Gent) Junior Lokosa (Kano Pillars) Simeon Nwankwo (Crotone).

Nigeria begin their 2018 Fifa World Cup campaign against Croatia on June 16 at the Kaliningrad Stadium before facing Iceland (June 22) and Argentina (June 26) in Volgograd and Saint Petersburg respectively.

SOURCE: www.zamfootball.com