BY VICTOR OSOWOCHI – Ahead of the Tuesday, September 27 international friendly against Desert Warriors of Algeria, Nigeria’s Super Eagles camp has been hard hit by injury worries with key players already ruled out.
On the injury list and effectively excluded from the encounter slated for Miloud Hadefi Stadium in Oran, Algeria, are Fatih Karagumruk and Sivasspor’s Ahmed Musa, Villarreal’s Samuel Chukwueze, and Nottingham Forest’s Emmanuel Dennis
With the trio declared unavailable, in addition to Leon Balogun and Henry Onyekuru also out due to injuries, Coach Jose Peseiro has been dealt another round of setbacks as their confrontation against the 2019 African champions draws closer.
However, in their absence, Godwin Saviour and Ebube Duru have been selected respectively while Cyriel Dessers and Taiwo Awoniyi are likely going to make the starting line-up against the North Africans.
Also, Moses Simon and Chidera Ejuke are tipped to run the flanks with 18 players are already in camp as of Tuesday morning.
Those in camp are Maduka Okoye, William Troost-Ekong, Kenneth Omeruo, Chidozie Awaziem, Ola Aina, Calvin Bassey, Zaidu Sanusi, Kelvin Akpoguma, Valentine Ozornwafor, Wilfred Ndidi, Frank Onyeka, Alex Iwobi, Raphael Onyedika, Moses Simon, Taiwo Awoniyi, Chidera Ejuke, Cyriel Dessers, and Terem Moffi.
Having missed out on this prestige friendly, Musa, Chukwueze, and Dennis are now in a race to be fit for their respective clubs’ upcoming packed schedules.
In Turkey, Musa and Sivasspor face Hatayspor after the international break, while Villarreal travel to face Cadiz in La Liga with Dennis and Nottingham Forest being guests of bottom-placed Leicester City on October 3, 2022 at the King Power stadium in the English Premiership.
