Nigeria recall Babayaro

Celestine Babayaro is back in favour

Celestine Babayaro has been named in Nigeria's squad for next month's friendly against Japan.

The temperamental defender, who plays for English Premiership side, Chelsea, is part of an 18-man squad announced by the Nigerian FA in Lagos.

The match against the World Cup co-hosts will be played in Southampton, England, on October 7.

Babayaro has been recalled after falling out with the Nigerian authorities following the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games.

Competition

The highly mobile leftback was last seen in a Super Eagles shirt back in January against Sudan.

But the Chelsea defender faces stiff competition for his Super Eagles place.

Ifeanyi Udeze of Greek side Salonika has been outstanding in the leftback position, and is unlikely to give up without a fight.

Last week Nigeria fielded a team of home-based players in two friendlies against the other World Cup co-hosts, South Korea.

The Nigerians held their hosts to a 2-2 draw before losing the other match 2-1.

Squad
Goalkeepers: Ike Shorunmu (no club), Murphy Akanji (Sliema Wanderers/Mal)
Defenders: Taribo West (AC Milan/Ita), Celestine Babayaro (Chelsea/Eng), Eric Ejiofor (Enyimba FC/Ngr), Emeka Ifejiagwa (Wolfsburg/Ger), Joseph Yobo (Marseille/Fra), Ifeanyi Udeze (Salonika/Gre)
Midfielders: Sunday Oliseh (Borussia Dortmund/Ger), Austin Okocha (Paris Saint-Germain/Fra), Karibe Ojigwe (Bayer Leverkusen/Ger), Garba Lawal (Roda JC/Ned)
Strikers: Tijjani Babangida (Vitesse Arnhem/Ned), Finidi George (Ipswich/Eng), Victor Agali (Schalke 04/Ger), Yakubu Aiyegbeni (Maccabi Haifa/Isr), Julius Aghahowa (Shakhtar Donetsk/Ukr), Nwankwo Kanu (Arsenal/Eng)