Nigeria finally names Nations Cup squad

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) -- Nigeria belatedly finalized their 22-man squad for the African Nations Cup on Sunday, but could still have two players taken off the roster by the Confederation of African Football.

The final squad list was sent to CAF four days after the deadline for the 16 competitors to submit their lists for the tournament in Mali, which kicks off next Saturday.

Nigerian coach Shaibu Amodu delayed his final selection until after the 1-1 draw against the Ivory Coast in a friendly in Abidjan on Saturday.

Competition regulations say that a team failing to submit their list of players seven days before the start of the tournament will be entitled to only register 20 players in addition to a $3000 fine.

"I will name the team after the friendly with the Elephants of Cote d' Ivoire. I'm not afraid of submitting the list late," coach Amodu told reporters last week.

Amodu said he had been forced into the delay as he battled to establish the availability of many of his European-based players, who have missed a training camp in Nigeria.

The squad included Nwankwo Kanu, who played for his English club Arsenal against Liverpool in the premier league on Sunday.

Squad: Goalkeepers: Murphy Akanji (Sliema Wanderers, Malta), Ndubuisi Egbo (Moroka Swallows, South Africa), Ike Shorunmu (Besiktas, Turkey) Defenders: Celestin Babayaro (Chelsea, England), Justice Christopher (Antwerp, Belgium), Eric Ejiofor (Enyimba FC), Emeka Ifejiagwa (VfL Wolfsburg, Germany), Isaac Okoronkwo (Shakhtar Donetsk, Ukraine), Ifeanyi Udeze (POAK Salonika, Greece), Taribo West (Kaiserslautern, Germany), Joseph Yobo (Marseille, France) Midfielders: Finidi George (Ipswich Town), Garba Lawal (Rod JC Kerkrade, Netherlands), Pascal Karibe Ojigwe (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany), Austin Okocha (Paris St Germain, France), Sunday Oliseh (Borussia Dortmund, Germany), Strikers: Victor Agali (Schalke 04, Germany), Julius Aghahowa (Shakhtar Donetsk, Ukraine) Yakubu Aiyegbeni (Maccabi Haifa, Israel), Tijani Babanjida (Vitesse Arnhem, Netherlands), Victor Ikpeba (Real Betis, Spain), Nwankwo Kanu (Arsenal, England)

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