Despite scoring the most goals of any Nigerian player this season, Onuachu was controversially left out of the Super Eagles' squad for the games and was placed on the standby-list. 

The 26-year-old has now been called up with Moses Simon's absence, as he will not be able to travel due to travel restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

"Like several clubs in France, FC Nantes will not release its selected international players for matches outside of Europe during the next international break, scheduled for the end of March," Moses' club Nantes said in a statement. 

Moses is not the only player who will not make the games due to the travel restrictions. 

Spanish club Almeria have announced that they will not release Sadiq Umar because the 'security or bureaucratic conditions' for the striker's trip have not been met. 

It's a blow to the 24-year-old who only received his first call-up following his fine form for Almeria this season. 

The striker has 14 goals for Almeria in Spanish second-tier and was why Onuachu was left out of the squad in the first place. 

Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr said he wanted to try out Sadiq and hinted that Onanchu was his second-choice striker. 

"It is because I want to see somebody else. We saw him already, we know him, we know his strengths," Rohr told ESPN.

"He was a little bit unlucky each time when he has to play. It is the last moment before the World Cup qualifiers that we can test somebody else, so we choose Sadiq Umar."

The Super Eagles will face the Republic of Benin on Saturday, March 27, 2021, before coming back home to host Lesotho on Tuesday, March 30, to round up their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.