By Oluwashina Okeleji BBC Sport, Lagos

Sunderland's Dickson Etuhu has been called up to the Nigeria squad

Sunderland midfielder Dickson Etuhu has been recalled by Nigeria for their friendly against Mexico on 14 October.

Etuhu should finally make his Nigeria debut after missing the Nations Cup qualifier against Lesotho on 8 September due to travelling problems.

The 25-year-old midfielder was born in the northern Nigerian city of Kano but grew up in London.

Etuhu is yet to play for Nigeria despite being called up in the build-up to the 2002 World Cup.

He had been hoping that his performances in the English Premier League this season would earn him a call up to the Super Eagles squad.

Manasseh Ishiaku plays in Germany for MSV Duisburg

"I think I'm good enough to play for Nigeria, there are players who have not played in the Premiership and have played for the Super Eagles," he told BBC Sport in August.

Germany-based Manasseh Ishiaku also has a chance to earn his first cap after he missed the friendly against Macedonia in Skopje on 22 August citing short notice.

Ishiaku says the invitation arrived barely forty-eight hours before the game, so he passed up the chance in order to concentrate on his club side, MSV Duisburg.

But Nigeria coach Berti Vogts included Ishiaku in his 19-man squad announced by the Nigerian FA in Abuja on Wednesday.

Notable absentees in the squad includes Italy based Stephen Makinwa [injury] and the Everton trio of Joseph Yobo [injury], Yakubu Ayegbeni and Victor Anichebe [who is placed on standby].

The match against Mexico will be played on 14 October in Mexico as part of the Super Eagles preparation for the 2008 African Cup of Nations in Ghana.

The Nigerian FA said the Super Eagles would play another friendly against Slovenia on November 17 ahead of the African Nations Cup in Ghana early next year.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Austin Ejide ( Bastia, France), Dele Aiyenugba (Bnei-Yehuda, Israel )

Defenders: Taye Taiwo (Marseille, France), Obinna Nwaneri (Sion, Switzerland), Danny Shittu (Watford, England), Rabiu Afolabi (Sochaux, France), Onyekachi Apam (Nice, France)

Midfielders: Dickson Etuhu (Sunderland, England), Mikel Jon Obi (Chelsea, England), Seyi Olofinjana (Wolverhampton Wanderers, England), Onyekachi Okonkwo (FC Zurich, Switzerland), Richard Eromoigbe (Levski Sofia, Bulgaria), Sani Kaita (Sparta Rotterdam, Holland)

Strikers: Ikechukwu Uche (Getafe, Spain), Obafemi Martins (Newcastle United, England), Manasseh Ishiaku (Duisburg, Germany), Nwankwo Kanu, John Utaka (both Portsmouth, England), Osaze Odemwingie (Lokomotiv Moscow, Russia),