TWO more players have been ruled out of Nigeria’s Qatar 2022 World Cup qualifier against Cape Verde.
Samuel Kalu of Bordeaux and Tyrone Ebuehi of Venezia both initially tested positive for Covid-19 and were prevented from travelling to Cape Verde for Tuesday’s African qualifying Group C fixture.
Although they both tested negative after a follow-up test, they will not play any part in the key clash.
Incidentally, both players had been expected to fill in for some of the positions left vacant by their United Kingdom-based colleagues who could not travel to ‘red list’ Cape Verde.
Leicester City’s Kelechi Iheanacho, who scored the two goals in Friday’s 2-0 win over Liberia in Lagos, as well as his club mate Wilfred, Everton’s Alex Iwobi, Watford’s William Troost-Ekong and Oghenekaro Etebo, and Rangers pair Leon Balogun and Joe Aribo all had to return to the UK after the Liberia game.
The Super Eagles would go three points clear at the top of Group C if they beat Cape Verde on Tuesday, while a draw would give them a one-point advantage over second-placed Liberia, who defeated Central African Republic on Monday.
In another Qatar 2022 African qualifier on Monday night, Sebastien Haller struck twice as hosts Cote d’Ivoire won the battle of heavyweights 2-1 over Cameroon to go to the top of Group D with four points from two games.
Nicolas Ngamaleu pulled one back for Cameroon but it was not enough as they fell to second place with three points from two games.
