Moses gets Nigeria recall for Nations Cup qualifiers

Reuters
Manchester City's Bacary Sagna (R) challenges Stoke City's Victor Moses during their English Premier League soccer match at the Etihad stadium in Manchester, northern England August 30, 2014. REUTERS/Eddie Keogh

LAGOS (Reuters) - Victor Moses has been recalled to Nigeria’s squad for two African Nations Cup ties against Sudan next month, the country’s football federation said on Saturday. The Stoke City winger was a surprise omission from the squad that lost at home to Congo and drew away in South Africa in Nigeria’s opening two Group A matches earlier this month. He has been recalled from the World Cup squad along with midfielders Raheem Lawal and Michael Babatunde while English-born Hope Akpan of Reading was given his first call-up. Stephen Keshi will continue as coach for the two matches in Khartoum on Oct. 11 and Calabar four days later despite still not getting a new contract offer since the World Cup. “I just have to keep doing my best for my country by preparing the team until we can resume talks,” he told the BBC on Saturday. Nigeria’s soccer federation is in limbo with elections scheduled for next week. Nigeria, who won the last Nations Cup in 2013, have one point in their bid to qualify for the finals in Morocco in January.