The Super Eagles of Nigeria have been dealt another huge blow ahead of the start of the Africa Cup of Nations with injury knocking out Real Sociedad forward Sadiq Umar from the squad two days before the start of the tournament, OwnGoalNigeria.com can exclusively reveal.
Nigeria will begin their campaign at the tournament on the 14th of January against Equatorial Guinea and training has stepped up in readiness for the game but without three players.
The duo of Kelechi Iheanacho and Terem Moffi are absent in the camp of the team due to various reasons, and will only be available after the team’s first game on Sunday. Sadiq has joined the walking wounded in the team.
Yesterday he took part in training with a strap around his thigh rising up to his knees. The explanation was that he was suffering from a knock picked up against Guinea in their last warm up game.
However today when the team will have a full session he was asked to step aside by Peseiro upon his arrival to join the rest of his teammates, bringing doubts on his availability for the opening game and possibly the tournament.
It is believed that he was asked to step aside on precautionary grounds but he will have to see the medics later today before a decision will be reached on his inclusion in the team for the game.
A scan conducted on his afterwards showed a strain in his knee that will require at least three weeks to heal, effectively ruling him out of the tournament. He is the third Nigerian player to ruled out of the tournament due to injury.
The others are Wilfred Ndidi and Victor Boniface, and their spot was handed to the duo of Alhassan Yusuf and Terem Moffi. Cyriel Dessers is the favorite to replace Umar who is expected to travel back to Spain where he will be assessed and treated by doctors of Real Sociedad.
Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman
