Kanu back for Nigeria

Kanu has not played much for club side Arsenal

BBC - The game, scheduled for 25 May in Kingston, is a return after both sides drew in last November's friendly in Lagos.

Aghahowa is returning from injury while an off-form Kanu only tasted action with Arsenal in last week's 2-2 draw against fellow premiership club Manchester United.

Defender Isaac Okoronkwo also returns to the Eagles after injury.

Before last November's encounter, Nigeria and Jamaica had met twice - 2-2 in Kingston in 1998 and 1-0 in Nigeria's favour in London last May.

If the Super Eagles' Caribbean trip seems likely to happen, many in Nigeria have been casting doubt on the ambitious program of friendlies announced for the national team.

According to a schedule of the Nigerian Football Association (NFA), China will be the first port of call for a warm-up game on 30 April.

But it is likely to be called off owing to the Eagles' lack of preparations and the effect of the flu-like SARS epidemic, resulting in travel restrictions to Beijing.

Next the Eagles will be the guests of Jamaica in Kingston on 25 May.

Then, after playing Ecuador on 5 July in Houston, Texas, it will be the turn of Australia on 19 August in London.

Nigeria will also host a four-nation tournament starting on May 30 with Senegal, Morocco and Iran taking part.

NFA spokesman Samuel Kaalu said the friendlies will prepare the Eagles for crucial 2004 African Cup of Nations qualifiers against Angola and Malawi in June.

Christian Chukwu is currently the Super Eagles coach

Both games will be at home and Nigeria, already leading the three-team group, stand a good chance of qualifying for the tournament in Tunisia.

"We're working hard that we play all these games lined up," Kaalu told BBC Sport.

Past experiences have made many critics doubt the warm-ups.

"We always hear of those friendlies on paper only for them to be cancelled closer to the date," football writer Ade Ojiekere said.

Early this year, the NFA said it had arranged for the Eagles two warm-ups against Costa Rica and Colombia - but they were eventually cancelled.

However, other ones - against Jamaica, Egypt, Ghana, Senegal and Gambia - were played.

Squad for the Jamaica game:
Goalkeepers: Vincent Enyeama (Enyimba) and Sam Okoye (Rangers FC)
Defenders: Romanus Orjinta, (Enyimba), Seyi Olajengbesi ( Julius Berger), Uche Ugochukwu (Gabros FC), Isaac Okoronkwo (Shaktar Donetsk) and Samson Godwin (PFC Karpaty).
Midfielders: Austin "Jay-Jay Okocha (Bolton Wanderers), John Utaka (Lens), Uche Kalu (Wisla Krakow), Temple Moneke (Enyimba), Tony Alegbe (Mettalurg FC).
Strikers: Obafemi Martins (Inter Milan), Ifeanyi Ekwueme (Wisla Krakow), Bina Ajuwa (France-based), Garba "Yaro-Yaro" Ahmed (Kano Pillars), Bob Usim (Iwuanyanwu FC), Ishola Shaibu (Julius Berger), Julius Aghahowa (Shaktar Donetsk) and Nwankwo Kanu (Arsenal).