Photo: Hadassah Photostorie group / Wikimedia Commons · cropped; shared under CC BY-SA 4.0 Who is missing for Tanzania against Nigeria?
Clement Mzize and Dickson Job did not travel with Tanzania's squad to Nigeria on Monday, Daily Post Nigeria and Complete Sports both reported, citing Tanzania Football Federation director of media and communications Clifford Ndimbo speaking to The Citizen .
The Citizen's Majuto Omary wrote that Young Africans officials had written to the TFF requesting permission for the pair to continue treatment under the club's medical department, and that the request was accepted. Daily Post Nigeria and Complete Sports said both players were permitted to remain at Young Africans to continue their recovery.
Those reports said both players had only recently returned to action after lengthy spells on the sidelines. The Citizen added that their inclusion would have marked their first Taifa Stars call-up since they regained fitness. Daily Post Nigeria and Complete Sports said head coach Miguel Gamondi now has a 22-player group for the two matches against the Super Eagles.
When and where do Nigeria and Tanzania play?
The Citizen said Tanzania face Nigeria on 13 November at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo before meeting the same opponents on 17 November in Zanzibar. Daily Post Nigeria placed the return fixture at the Amaan Stadium on Tuesday 17 November; Complete Sports used the spelling Amman Stadium for that same date. None of those reports published a kick-off time, so this page does not list a WAT time until a federation or broadcaster does.
Where does Group L stand after two rounds?
The Citizen set out the group after two rounds. Guinea-Bissau lead with six points from two wins, having scored five goals and conceded none — a 2-0 win over Tanzania followed by a 3-0 away win against Nigeria. Nigeria are second with three points after a 2-1 win over Madagascar and the 3-0 defeat in Bissau, with two goals scored and four conceded. Madagascar are third on one point, with two goals scored and three conceded. Tanzania are fourth on one point, with one goal scored and three conceded.
The Guardian Nigeria separately recorded Guinea-Bissau at the top with six points and the Super Eagles on three after the loss in Bissau. The Citizen stressed that Tanzania have already secured automatic qualification for the 2027 finals as co-hosts with Kenya and Uganda, leaving one remaining place open to Nigeria, Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau.
TuSport desk: one ticket left, and Lookman's unused night
Two facts from this window sit together for Nigerian readers. First, Éric Chelle named a 24-man Super Eagles squad on 7 November for the Tanzania matches, as listed by Punch and Complete Sports and reported by The Guardian Nigeria . The lists included Ademola Lookman, Taiwo Awoniyi, Alex Iwobi and captain Wilfred Ndidi. The Guardian Nigeria said Victor Osimhen is unavailable after a knee injury in Galatasaray's Champions League match against Stuttgart, and that Kelechi Iheanacho was also left out.
Second, Lookman was an unused substitute when Atlético Madrid lost 1-2 to Barcelona at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano on Sunday 8 November (21:00 WAT), according to the BBC Sport match report teamsheet. That does not change Tanzania's omissions. It does mean one of Nigeria's widest attackers arrives from a title-race night in which he was not used.
The group arithmetic in The Citizen is the point readers in Lagos and Abuja asked first. Tanzania are already into the 2027 tournament as co-hosts, so these two matches are about the single remaining ticket. Nigeria have three points and a goal difference of minus two after two games; Guinea-Bissau have six points and have not conceded. Friday 13 November in Uyo is the first of two meetings that decide whether Chelle's side stay in touching distance of that ticket before they travel to Zanzibar four days later.
Mzize and Job staying at Young Africans, after a formal club letter the TFF accepted, is more specific than a simple injury note. Combined with the 22-player travelling group reported by Daily Post Nigeria and Complete Sports, it is the party that will actually walk into the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium — not a larger squad still waiting to be trimmed on the road.
Why it matters
Nigeria, second in Group L on three points, face Tanzania in Uyo on Friday 13 November 2026 without a published kick-off time in the reports cited here, while the visitors arrive without Clement Mzize and Dickson Job. Follow the Nigeria hub and the WAT kick-off times guide . Read our earlier reports on Sunday Oliseh's Super Eagles comments and Efe Sodje questioning Chelle's dual Super Eagles and under-23 role.
Sources: The Citizen — Taifa Stars head to Nigeria without injured Mzize, Job · Daily Post Nigeria — AFCON 2027Q: Tanzania hit by double injury blow ahead of Super Eagles clash · Complete Sports — AFCON 2027Q: Tanzania Lose Two Key Stars Ahead Of Super Eagles Clash · BBC Sport — Fermin double seals Barcelona's comeback win at Atleti · Punch Newspapers — FULL LIST: Chelle names 24-man squad for 2027 AFCON qualifiers · The Guardian Nigeria — AFCON Qualifiers: Osimhen Missing as Chelle Unveils Squad for Tanzania Double-Header
