Bright Dike made it past the penultimate cut, but couldn't quite clear the final hurdle.

It appears the Portland Timbers striker has been omitted from Nigeria's official squad for the Africa Cup of Nations, as reports are emerging that head coach Stephen Keshi left the Oklahoma City native off his final 23-man squad.

Dike had become something of a sensation for the Super Eagles, after appearing twice for the national team of his parents' homeland and scoring a goal last week in a friendly against Catalonia in Barcelona. But in the end, the 25-year-old's amazing journey will not include a trip to South Africa for the continental tournament, which kicks off later this month.

Nigeria's depth chart at the forward position made it tough for Dike to make the final cut, as Keshi elected for European-based named like Chelsea's Victor Moses, Villarreal's Ikechukwu Uche and Russian Premier League pair Ahmed Musa and Emmanuel Emenike.

Dike appeared to take the news in stride on Wednesday.