Inside Injury Ravaged Super Eagles Squad as Key Players Battle Fitness
- The Super Eagles camp has been hit with injuries ahead of the forthcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers
- Nigeria take on Rwanda and Zimbabwe in March, and they are condemned not to drop points again
- Some key members have been ruled out of the fixtures due to injuries, while others are battling with their fitness level
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Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle is faced with a significant challenge as a number of players are battling with injuries.
Less than one month before the World Cup qualifiers return, a good number of Nigerian players are struggling with their fitness.
The three-time African champions have struggled in the qualifying series after failing to win any of their four matches so far.
Source: Getty Images
Nigeria played 1-1 draws with Lesotho, Zimbabwe and South Africa respectively and then lost 2-1 to the Republic of Benin.
They have just three points and sit in 5th position, while Rwanda, South Africa and Benin all top the group with 7 points each.
Should they hope to reposition themselves to compete for the ticket, the Super Eagles are condemned not to drop points.
Injury ravages Super Eagles squad
Two key players who have been ruled out of the forthcoming matches are Semi Ajayi and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru.
The duo are crucial members of the squad and now they can only watch next month's matches from the sidelines.
Ajayi is confirmed out for several weeks after suffering another hamstring injury in West Brom's 2-0 win over Oxford, BBC reports.
The 31-year-old was returning from a five-month spell on the sidelines, when he suffered a relapse.
He was forced out of the game in the 41st minute with medical reports showing that he will now enter a period of rehabilitation.
Dele-Bashiru, on the other hand, suffered an ankle injury as Lazio played a goalless draw against Venezia on Saturday.
The midfielder is now doubtful for the forthcoming crucial matches in the World Cup qualifiers, as per Afrik-Foot.
He started in the midfield along with Matteo Guendouzi as he replaced Nicolo Rovella who is on suspension.
The 24-year-old only saw 36 minutes of action before he sprained his ankle following a collision with Alessio Zerbin.
Lazio manager Marco Baroni addressed the injury after the match, expressing concerns over the midfielder’s recovery time.
Osimhen, Ekong battle fitness
There are concerns over Victor Osimhen's fitness, but reports from Turkey say the striker will be ready for the matches.
Stand-in captain William Troost-Ekong missed his second straight league game in Saudi Arabia.
Source: Getty Images
Before this absence, the AFCON 2023 Most Valuable Player has been ever-present for Al Kholood having played all 20 matches.
The 31-year-old defender was not listed for his side's 1-0 home win over Al Wehda, raising concerns over his fitness level.
Tosin Adarabioyo to replace Semi Ajayi?
Legit.ng earlier reported that Chelsea star Tosin Adarabioyo has been on the Super Eagles radar for some time now, even though he had represented England at the youth level.
The impressive defender is still eligible to play for Nigeria as his parents are from the West Africa nation, Brila reports.
He has been in breathtaking form for the Blues this season with his intelligent defensive positioning making him an ideal candidate.
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Source: Legit.ng
