Nigeria coach Lars Lagerback has left Real Zaragoza's Ikechukwu Uche and Everton's Victor Anichebe out of his squad for the World Cup.

Uche was the top scorer for the Super Eagles in qualifying and had recently recovered from a knee injury.

Anichebe's Everton colleague Joseph Yobo is included, along with Nwankwo Kanu and Chelsea's John Mikel Obi.

Obi is recuperating from knee surgery and only joined the rest of the squad on Friday.

Another surprise exclusion in the Nice defender Onyekachi Apam who was also struggling with a knee problem.

The two home-based players - goalkeeper Akpan Bassey and defender Terna Suswan - also failed to make the cut.



Peter Utaka and Brown Ideye are the final two to miss out, though Utaka's brother John makes the squad as do Everton's Yakubu, Fulham's Dickson Etuhu and Bolton's Danny Shittu.

Nigeria are drawn in Group B along with Argentina, Greece and South Korea.

The Super Eagles' opening match against Argentina on 12 June is one of the most anticipated of the tournament.



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Nigeria squad:

Goalkeepers: Vincent Enyeama (Hapoel Tel Aviv, Israel), Dele Aiyenugba (Bnei Yehuda, Israel), Austin Ejide (Hapoel Petah Tikva, Israel)

Defenders: Taye Taiwo (Marseille, France), Elderson Echiejile (Rennes, France), Chidi Odiah (CSKA Moscow, Russia), Joseph Yobo (Everton, England), Daniel Shittu (Bolton Wanderers, England), Ayodele Adeleye (Sparta Rotterdam, Netherlands), Rabiu Afolabi (SV Salzburg, Austria)

Midfielders: Chinedu Ogbuke Obasi (TSG Hoffenheim, Germany), John Utaka (Portsmouth, England), Kalu Uche (Almeria, Spain), Dickson Etuhu (Fulham, England), John Mikel Obi (Chelsea, England), Sani Kaita (Alaniya, Russia), Haruna Lukman (AS Monaco, France), Yusuf Ayila (Dynamo Kiev, Ukraine), Osaze Odemwingie (Lokomotiv Moscow, Russia)

Strikers: Yakubu Aiyegbeni (Everton, England), Nwankwo Kanu (Portsmouth, England), Obafemi Martins (Wolfsburg, Germany), Victor Obinna Nsofor (Malaga, Spain)


http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2010/8672850.stm