Super Eagles duo of Samuel Kalu and Tyronne Ebuehi are doubtful for today’s (Tuesday) World Cup qualifying clash against Cape Verde after testing positive to Coronavirus.
The team’s Media Officer, Babafemi Raji, confirmed the development in a telephone chat from Cape Verde on Monday.
According to Raji, the players will be subjected to another round of tests this morning to satisfy if they will be eligible to play the game later in the evening.
Meanwhile, the Super Eagles manager, Gernot Rohr, has vowed that the team will go all out for the three maximum points at stake in the World Cup qualifying tie against hosts Cape Verde.
The German coach stated this shortly after the team’s training session on Monday.
According to Rohr: “I know it is going to be tough with this handicapped team.
“We lost 10 players already and we have to rebuild in order to present a formidable side against Cape Verde.
“Some of these boys are also playing in the Super Eagles for the first time, but they here because they have shown they deserved to be here.
“We are also missing some physical presence from some of the players due to the night travels and we decided to have a brief training and hope that the players recover and come out strong.”
Speaking on their opponents, Rohr pointed out: “They like to play quickly forward.
“They also have offensive players and very good strikers such as Ryan Mendes and Julio Taveres, who plays France.
“So, we know them.
“They also like to play often with three at the back, but we have our ideas and tactics to neutralise them.”
It can be recalled that Nigeria met Cape Verde in a friendly played in Faro, Portugal in 2013.
The departures of two-goal hero Kelechi Iheanacho and Alex Iwobi also opens the door for perhaps Terem Moffi and Henry Onyekuru.
But it is in the midfield that Rohr would have to empanel entirely unaccustomed partners and charge them to deliver.
Oghenekaro Etebo, Wilfred Ndidi and Joseph Ayodele-Aribo have all returned to the UK.
Coach Rohr may opt to deploy the versatile Abdullahi Shehu to the midfield as he has done a couple of times, most recently in Sierra Leone against the Leone Stars in a 2021 AFCON qualifier.
Russia-based Chidera Ejuke, Italy-based former junior international Kingsley Michael and new face Innocent Bonke from Sweden are all available.
Liberia pipped the Central African Republic on Monday and are currently tied on three points with Nigeria in Group C of the qualifier.
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