Head coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Eric Chelle will include defender Semi Ajayi in his squad for the world cup qualifiers playoff next month, despite the fact that he is currently suspended after picking up two yellow cards, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.
Ajayi picked up his second booking in the series in the 4-0 win over Benin Republic, effectively ruling him out of next month qualifiers playoff game against Gabon in Morocco. The winner of the game will face either Cameroon or Congo Dr who will be up against each other in the second game of the mini tournament.
The winner will get a ticket to represent Africa at the inter continental playoff in March next year against teams from selected region, and the top two teams from the tournament will get a ticket to the 2026 World Cup.
” Ajayi is only suspended for one game. So he will be available for the final game if as expected we progress. It makes sense to have him in the team because he is one of the best defenders we have any the moment”, a team source told OwnGoalNigeria.com.
He also said they hope to have a couple of players back for the game in November particularly in defence, but ruled out any possible return for Felix Agu or Ola Aina.
” Aina and Agu are definitely out of the games in November, but we hope to have Bright Osayi-Samuel back and hopefully three others in Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, Nathan Tella and Raphael Onyedika”, he stated.
