Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr will have something to worry about ahead of this weekend’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Libya after goalkeeper Ikechukwu Ezenwa copped an injury on Sunday.
Ezenwa was playing for his Nigerian club Enyimba in an AITEO Cup quarter final game against Kano Pillars at the Pantami Stadium in Gombe during which he suffered a kick to his arm, prompting an early substitution from the game.
Ezenwa’s team lost the game 2-4 despite taking the lead through Stephen Chukwude. Ageless midfielder Rabiu Ali equalised for Pillars in the 36th minute before Ezenwa’s injury late in the first half of the game.
Friday Achimugwu replaced the former Flying Eagles and Under-23 goalkeeper and the substitute was made to pick the ball out of his net thrice in a thrilling second half as Pillars sealed a semi-final spot against Katsina United, at the Agege Township Stadium in Lagos next Wednesday.
Ezenwa was among the twenty-four players called up by Franco-German coach Rohr ahead of the double-header AFCON qualifying contest against Libya, with the first instalment next weekend in Uyo, Southern Nigeria.
Spain based Francis Uzoho and South Africa based Daniel Akpeyi are the other goalkeepers in Nigeria’s squad and both are ahead of Ezenwa in the Eagles’ goalkeeping pecking order.
Players of the Super Eagles are expected to start arriving at their Uyo camp as from Monday and it is expected that Ezenwa will report for the medical team to assess the extent of his injury.
Nigeria will face Libya at the Nest of Champions in Uyo on Saturday, October 13 before traveling to Sfax, Tunisia for the second fixture on Tuesday, October 16.
