Saudi Arabia warns Nigeria that it will execute any of her pilgrims found carrying drugs

WOLVERHAMPTON Wanderers goalkeeper Carl Ikeme looks set to make his Super Eagles debut this weekend when Nigeria faces Tanzania in an African Cup of Nations qualifier after team captain Vincent Enyeama pulled out of the match.

Ikeme, 29, was invited to the Super Eagles camp to participate in next month's African Nations Cup qualifier away to Tanzania by new coach Sunday Oliseh. Originally from Castle Bromwich in Birmingham,
Ikeme's father is Nigerian and eight years ago he was included in Bertie Vogts’ first provisional Super Eagles squad but was not included in the team when the list was pruned down.

How, the Wolves keeper may get his chance to win his first cap earlier than expected after regular number one Enyeama asked to be excused from the match. Enyeama, the 33-year-old Lille goalkeeper has asked to be excused from the trip to Dar es Salaam due to personal issues bordering on his family.

One camp source said: "Vincent was expected to arrive in the Abuja camp of the Super Eagles yesterday but from what I have learned he has called in to ask for permission to be excluded from the game against Tanzania due to family reasons. So the team will now travel with the two goalkeepers currently in camp unless the coach decides to make a late call-up, which I doubt will happen."

Apart from Ikeme, the only other goalkeeper in camp is Ikechukwu Ezenwa of Sunshine Stars of Akure. Team officials said that both of them have impressed the coaches who are yet to make a decision on who gets the nod in the absence of Enyeama before the team fly out to Dar es Salaam tomorrow.

"Carl Ikeme and Ezenwa have been so good during the camping so far and the coaches have not said any word about who might likely take up the starting place in goal in the absence of Enyeama. So it is very open not only for the goalkeeping position but also for the outfield players as well," another team source added.

Nigeria's Super Eagles began their 2017 African Cup of Nations qualification campaign on a winning note with a 2-0 victory over Chad in June but sit in second place behind Egypt who enjoyed a 3-0 win over Tanzania in the same group. Next weekend's game against Tanzania will be Oliseh's first game in charge of the team and he will hope to get off to a wining start.