Nigeria name final squad for 2014 CHAN

Abuja: Nigeria have named U-17 international Dele Alampasu on the country`s final squad for the 2014 CHAN in South Africa.

Alampasu was voted the best goalkeeper at the FIFA U17 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates in November and he will be third-choice at the tournament reserved for players featuring in their local leagues. As expected, 2013 Africa Cup of Nations star Sunday Mba was left out of the 23-man squad after he returned to try his luck again with French second division club CA Bastia. Goalkeeper Chigozie Agbim will lead the team in South Africa and the squad will include Azubuike Egwuekwe, Solomon Kwambe and Benjamin Francis, who have been capped by Nigeria at full international level. However, Gambo Mohammed and Yinka Adedeji have been left out as they recover from hamstring injuries. Nigeria will begin their CHAN campaign on January 11 in Cape Town against Mali. They are drawn in Group A along with hosts South Africa and Mozambique. The final squad: Goalkeepers: Chigozie Agbim (Enugu Rangers), Daniel Akpeyi (Heartland), Dele Alampasu (Abuja Football College) Defenders: Solomon Kwambe (Sunshine Stars); Francis Benjamin (Heartland), Azubuike Egwuekwe (Warri Wolves), Kunle Odunlami (Sunshine Stars), Ikechukwu Gabriel (Bayelsa United), Umar Zango (Kano Pillars), Bright Esieme (Enyimba), Erhun Obanor (Insurance FC) Midfielders: Ugonna Uzochukwu (Enugu Rangers), Rabiu Ali (Kano Pillars), Christian Pyagbara (Sharks), Ikenna Hilary (Sunshine Stars), Abdullahi Shehu (Kano Pillars), Joshua Obaje (Warri Wolves) Forwards: Ejike Uzoenyi (Enugu Rangers), Gbolahan Salami (Shooting Stars), Barnabas Imenger (Lobi Stars), Aliyu Ibrahim (Nasarawa United), Christian Obiozor (Enugu Rangers), Ifeanyi Ede (Enyimba)