Victor Osimhen's injury opened the door for new faces in Nigeria's attack, but head coach Eric Chelle shocked supporters by ignoring Kelechi Iheanacho, Gift Orban, and George Ilenikhena for crucial AFCON qualifiers.

Eric Chelle has named his squad for Nigeria's crucial 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying fixtures against Tanzania, but the biggest talking point is not who made the list. It is who did not.

With Victor Osimhen sidelined after undergoing knee surgery, many expected some of Nigeria's most in-form forwards to receive opportunities. Instead, Chelle's 24-man squad has left supporters stunned.

Eric Chelle and Alex Iwobi in Europe. | Instagram

Among the most surprising omissions are Kelechi Iheanacho, Gift Orban and George Ilenikhena, three players many believed were strong candidates to fill the void left by Osimhen.

Perhaps the biggest shock concerns Kelechi Iheanacho.

The experienced striker has enjoyed a remarkable resurgence this season and recently reminded Nigerians of his quality by scoring on his return to the Super Eagles setup.

Kelechi Iheanacho celebrates his latest goal.

Many expected the Senior Man to be one of the first names considered following Osimhen's injury. Instead, Chelle opted to look elsewhere.

Gift Orban's exclusion is equally surprising. The striker has been among the goals this season and remains one of Nigeria's most exciting attacking options.

Gift Orban scores his eighth of the seasom for Amedspor.

George Ilenikhena also failed to make the cut despite impressing during his first taste of international football.

The young forward, often described as Nigeria's "next Osimhen", had been widely tipped to earn another opportunity after his encouraging introduction to the national team. Instead, Chelle has chosen a different direction.

George Ilenikhena celebrates his first goal for Nigeria.

The surprises did not stop in attack. Raphael Onyedika, who has been producing strong performances at club level, was also omitted from the squad.

In goal, Maduka Okoye was left out after recent appearances for Udinese.

Onyedika confronts referee || Imago

Francis Uzoho returns to the squad alongside Stanley Nwabali and Arthur Okonkwo.

The reaction from supporters was swift and brutal.

Many questioned why Iheanacho, Orban and Ilenikhena were ignored despite their recent performances.

One fan asked:

"Where is Maduka Okoye?"

Another wrote:

"Iheanacho don retire?"

A supporter unhappy with the attacking options said:

"It will be very difficult to get goals with that attack. What happened to George Ilenikhena, Gift Orban and Kelechi Iheanacho?"

Others even suggested the list may have been influenced by factors beyond football.

"Why do I feel like this list is manipulated? Because Eric Chelle can do better than this."

Nigeria host Tanzania in Uyo on 13 November before travelling to Zanzibar for the return fixture four days later.

The Super Eagles currently sit second in Group L and need positive results to strengthen their chances of securing qualification for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.

Osimhen and Lookman had fantastic understanding on the pitch, contributing to six goals at AFCON.

However, before a ball is kicked, Chelle already has a battle on his hands.

He must now convince Nigerian fans that the players he selected are better options than the stars he left at home.