Shehu Abdullahi will miss Nigeria’s Group B clash against the Syli Nationale of Guinea on Wednesday at the Alexandria Stadium due to an hamstring injury, reports Completesports.com.
Abdullahi picked up the injury in the Super Eagles’ 1-0 win against the Swallows of Burundi last Saturday.
The Bursaspor of Turkey defender was replaced by Chidozie Awaziem three minutes before the break against the Burundians after he sustained the injury.
The former Kano Pillars player, Completesports.com learnt, will play no part in the game against Guinea.
Awaziem, who put up a fine performance against Burundi after replacing Abdullahi is expected to be handed a starting berth against their fellow West Africans.
Gernot Rohr’s men top Group B with three points after the first round of games, and a win against Guinea who forced Madagascar to a 2-2 in their first game will see them book a place in the Round of 16.
The Nigeria versus Guinea on Wednesday will kick-off at 3.30 pm Nigerian time.
By Adeboye Amosu
9 Comments
I’ve seen some really crunching tackles being let fly since the beginning of this AFCON, with the referees ignoring them. These are tackles that will not go unpunished at the world stage. It is these attitudes and recklessness, coupled with collective ignorance of football rules that we carry into the world cups and get punished and we come back home crying about fifa being enemies of africa.
Everywhere now, VAR is being used at tournaments…CAF is doing otherwise. I dont know what sense is in ignoring the use of VAR till the Q/final stages. Instead of using these new laws and technologies now, so that our players can get used to it now, we wont…then we get punished on the global stage and cry wolf where there is none.
True talk
@Dr Drey, you are correct. All this jack-body kind of football must stop.
My brother I wonder ooo how tanzania ended the match against Senegal with 11 men is still a shock to me. They should have collected at least 2 red card in that game. Going forward the referee should punish reckless tangles with or without VAR.
What a pity
wish you a quick recovery bro, to other players that is down down due to sickness and the ones injured wishing them quick recovery insha Allah. fans let pray that their injury did not exceed our group stage matches. can’t wait for the next game
Shehu a good player faced with injury dilemma. Good we have options that are capable to step in , in his absence.
Hopefully Jamiu Collins is fit too, Ola Aina Can move to right back.
The “beauty” of the African game. So sorry for him,hope he bounces back soon.
Very physical is the African competion,similar to the South American specie.Sometimes the South Americans are even more physically brutal than us sef.
I should remind us that Allan(Napoli),Casemeiro(Real),and Fernandiho(MCity)- all of them combative full-fledge defensive midfielders are in that Brazilian team in the ongoing competition. No Brazil haven’t abandoned their attacking philosophy,but I like how the Brazilian coach, thinks through things.He sees clearly that without question the competition must be physical,so he picks those three,amongst other reasons,so that on no account will his team loose bcos they were physically bullied.Ofcourse,same reasons I was shouting for a suitable Ndidi back up.
But good point by Dr. Drey,in that we shud urgently improve on the officiating. Doesn’t have to be a photocopy of Europe. Europe even,is not uniform- eg officiating in the English league is not exactly same as Champions league, keepers are more protected by refrees in the German league than the English,and so on. So we can evolve a unique style of officiating here,not licence to recklessness as we see today,but world-class eventho unique.
I pray COLLINS recovers quickly so we can have him at LB and Ola Aina at Right Back. Am not too OK with Awaziem cuz he offers less going forward but defends well(just to show his natural position is Center Back). Note that the second half, We often saw more of CHUKWUEZE Cuz he lacked a good supplier from behind since Shehu was taken off. But if the coach can advice him to also learn to supply the striker in front of him with balls, Then I can say he’s Good-to-go