William Troost-Ekong will play no part in Nigeria’s friendly encounter against the Warriors of Zimbabwe at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba on Saturday, Completesports.com reports.
Troost-Ekong, who plays for Italian club Udinese is among the five players yet arrive the team’s camp in Asaba.
The other four are; Ahmed Musa, Shehu Abdullahi, Odion Ighalo and Alex Iwobi.
Musa and Abdullahi are expected to hit camp on Wednesday after they were granted extended break due to the Ramadan fasting and Sallah festival.
Iwobi will link up with the team in Ismaila, Egypt following his involvement in the Europa League where he scored Arsenal’s only goal in the 4-1 defeat to Chelsea.
” He (Troost-Ekong) will not make it for the friendly game against Zimbabwe. We expect him to arrive soon but he won’t be ready for the game on Saturday”, head coach of the side, Gernot Rohr told reporters on Tuesday in Asaba.
The two-time African champions opened camping in Asaba, Delta State on Sunday for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations billed to hold in Egypt later this month.
Super Eagles are expected to leave for Ismaila, Egypt on Sunday for the final lap of their preparations.
Rohr’s Eagles’ last pre-tournament friendly is against Senegal, billed for the Ismailia Stadium on June 16.
The three-time African champions will get their AFCON 2019 campaign underway against Burundi on June 22 at the Alexandria Stadium in Alexandria, before taking on Guinea at the same venue four days later.
They will wrap up their group encounters against Madagascar, once again in Alexandria, on June 30.
The AFCON 2019 is billed to take place in Egypt from the 21st of June to the 20th of July.
By Adeboye Amosu
2 Comments
Proudly Nigerian.
I hope EKONG and IGHALO ain’t carrying too serious injury prior to this afcon.