The reigning African Footballer of the Year, Victor Osimhen’s name is conspicuously absent as the Super Eagles Head Coach, Augustine Eguavoen, has called Captain William Ekong, rave-of-the-moment Ademola Lookman, in-form winger Moses Simon and 20 other players for this month’s home-and-away 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying battle with the Mediterranean Knights of Libya.

Osimhen’s exclusion is said to be on grounds of injury, same with the captain of Orlando Pirates of South Africa, Olisa Ndah.

However, defender Bright Osayi-Samuel makes his way back after missing the duels with Benin Republic and Rwanda last month, and in-form playmaker Chidera Ejuke returns to the fold after many moons.

Wing-backs Olaoluwa Aina and Bruno Onyemaechi are included, as well as goalkeepers Stanley Nwabali and Maduka Okoya, defenders Oluwasemilogo Ajayi and Calvin Bassey, midfielders Wilfred Ndidi, Raphael Onyedika and Alex Iwobi, and forwards Taiwo Awoniyi, Victor Boniface and Samuel Chukwueze.

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Veteran forward Kelechi Iheanacho is also listed, as well as midfielders Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi and Frank Onyeka.

The Super Eagles will host the Mediterranean Knights at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo on Friday, 11th October, before flying to Benghazi to take on the Knights at the Martyrs of Benina Stadium, 19 kilometres away from Benghazi on Tuesday, 15th October.

All the players are expected to report in Uyo on Monday, 7th October.

Goalkeepers: Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United, South Africa); Maduka Okoye (Udinese FC, Italy); Amas Obasogie (Fasil Kenema SC, Ethiopia)

Defenders: William Ekong (Al-Kholood FC, Saudi Arabia); Bright Osayi-Samuel (Fenerbahce SK, Turkey); Bruno Onyemaechi (Boavista FC, Portugal); Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion, England); Calvin Bassey (Fulham FC, England); Olaoluwa Aina (Nottingham Forest, England); Benjamin Tanimu (Crawley Town, England)

Midfielders: Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium); Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi (New England Revolution, USA); Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (Lazio FC. Italy); Frank Onyeka (Augsburg FC, Germany); Alex Iwobi (Fulham FC, England)

Forwards: Samuel Chukwueze (AC Milan, Italy); Chidera Ejuke (Sevilla FC, Spain); Ademola Lookman (Atalanta FC, Italy); Kelechi Iheanacho (Sevilla FC, Spain); Victor Boniface (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany); Moses Simon (FC Nantes, France); Taiwo Awoniyi (Nottingham Forest, England)

La Liga: Madrid beat Villarreal 2-0 to level leaders Barca

Fede Valverde and Vinicius Junior strikes helped Real Madrid bounce back from their first defeat since January with a 2-0 win over Villarreal on Saturday in La Liga.

Los Blancos lost in the Champions League at Lille but are still unbeaten in the Spanish top flight and moved level with leaders Barcelona before the Catalans visit Alaves on Sunday.

Valverde’s deflected effort and a rocket from Vinicius allowed Madrid to put a four-point gap between them and their third-placed opponents, who battled well but came up fractionally short in the capital.

Madrid’s victory was marred by a late injury to defender Dani Carvajal, who had to be taken off on a stretcher.

Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti started Kylian Mbappe after the French striker had recovered from a thigh problem.

The former Paris Saint-Germain striker could only appear from the bench in Madrid’s disappointing midweek display.

Mbappe, whom France have not selected for upcoming Nations League fixtures, was quiet at the Santiago Bernabeu as his team ground out victory with a determined, rather than inspiring, performance.

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The forward sent an early volley off-target from Luka Modric’s corner.

Instead it was midfielder powerhouse Valverde who broke the deadlock after 14 minutes.

The Uruguayan’s drive from distance deflected off Villarreal playmaker Alex Baena and arced beyond the reach of goalkeeper Diego Conde.

The visitors, enjoying a strong start to the season under coach Marcelino Garcia Toral, came close when Nicolas Pepe’s header clipped the top of the crossbar. Then Thierno Barry headed over from close range.

La Liga: Madrid beat Villarreal 2-0 to level leaders Barca

‘Nightmare is over,’ Pogba breaks silence after reduced drug ban

Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba has expressed relief after his doping ban was reduced from four years to 18 months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

The 31-year-old was originally sanctioned in March after receiving a provisional suspension in September of the previous year, having tested positive for dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA).

Pogba, the former Manchester United player, appealed the decision and successfully secured a reduction in his suspension, paving the way for his return to action in March next year.

“Finally the nightmare is over. I can look forward to the day when I can follow my dreams again,” Pogba said in a statement. He maintained that he never knowingly breached World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) regulations when he took a nutritional supplement prescribed by a doctor, which does not affect or enhance male athletes’ performance.

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“I play with integrity and, although I must accept that this is a strict liability offence, I want to place on record my thanks to the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s judges who heard my explanation.”

He described the ordeal as “a hugely distressing period in my life because everything I have worked so hard for has been put on hold.”

Italy’s National Anti-Doping Tribunal issued the ban, a standard length stipulated by the World Anti-Doping Code (WADA), but there is provision for it to be reduced if the athlete can prove the breach was not intentional, was the result of contamination or they provide “substantial assistance” to investigators.

CAS director general Matthieu Reeb informed The Guardian: “The suspension is now 18 months, starting September 11 2023.”

‘Nightmare is over,’ Pogba breaks silence after reduced drug ban