Turkey-based
midfielder Mikel Agu has joined the growing list of injured Super Eagles
players ahead of Nigeria’s clash with Algeria in their final match of the 2018
FIFA World Cup qualifiers. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the
Eagles are presently in Rabat, Morocco preparing for Friday’s game in
Constantine.
A statement on the Super Eagles’ official Twitter handle on
Wednesday indicated that Agu was out of the team’s game against Algeria, as
well as Tuesday’s friendly with Argentina. The 24-year-old who has been touted
as a replacement for Super Eagles captain Mikel Obi has made four appearances
for the three-time African champions but has struggled to impress. Agu, one of
the earliest arrivals in the Super Eagles camp, had made his international
debut for Nigeria in the friendly win against Togo in June.
The midfielder’s
injury adds to team head coach Gernot Rohr’s major headache, as he is also
missing five other players due to various injuries. Already, Victor Moses, Elderson Echiejile,
Odion Ighalo and Moses Simon have all pulled out due to injuries, while
defender Leon Balogun is also reportedly short of match fitness. Rohr however
said he was not worried by the spate of injuries ahead of the two games, adding
that it was a blessing in disguise as it would afford him the opportunity to
try out other players.
“Already, we have six injured players, so we have to make
six changes. It will be an opportunity to see players who didn’t play so much
and it will be very interesting to play Algeria in these conditions. “They have
changed their coach and have not won a game at home yet in the qualifiers and
so they will be very aggressive. “I know this team. They have some of the best
players, like Mahrez, Brahimi, Silimani, among others. “So, it will be very
interesting to see our players perform against their North African counterparts
as it will be a first experience for some of them, especially the new players arriving,”
Rohr said in a video posted on the NFF official Twitter page.
Rohr added that the
Super Eagles’ second game would be an even more interesting one as some other
players may have returned from injury before then. “We only have three days to prepare for
Algeria because the game is taking place on Friday, but we have the opportunity
in the second game to see everybody. “So, the second game will be an even more
fantastic game also, because Argentina is one of the best teams in the world
and perhaps boast of the best players in the world. “So, we will see what we
can do with such a big South American team. It is very important because I
think we will have at least one South American team in our group after the draw
is made.
“It will also be an
opportunity for us to see Russia, to feel what the atmosphere is like over
there and also to see our base camp. “So,
it’s already a big preparation ahead of the World Cup for us,” he said. The
Super Eagles, with the Russia 2018 World Cup ticket already in the bag, will
depart Rabat for Constantine, where they face the Fennecs on Friday. The match
is at the Stade Mohamed Hamlaoui, and will hold from 8.30 p.m. Algeria time. The
team will then on Saturday move to Krasnodar, the Russian city that will host
Tuesday’s international friendly against Argentina.
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