ACTUALITE |
17.01.2002
Nigeria recall Akwuegbu as cover for injured Kanu
BAMAKO
Nigeria Tuesday recalled Benedict Akwuegbu as possible replacement for Arsenal striker Nwankwo Kanu, who officials fear may be ruled out of the African Nations Cup as a result of injury.
Akwuegbu, who plays for Austrian club AK Graz, was surprisingly dropped by coach Shaibu Amodu Sunday despite scoring an equalising goal in the friendly match against Ivory Coast. The match ended 1-1.
"I have been asked to return to the team," Akwuegbu told AFP on arrival here. "Now we have to wait and see what happens next."
Nigerian officials told AFP that Amodu asked the 27-year-old striker, who was dropped Sunday, to rejoin the team in Mali after Kanu limped out of Sunday`s English Premiership game against Liverpool.
Kanu appeared to have overextended his knee while attempting a tackle and an x-ray was expected to have been carried out to ascertain the seriousness of the injury.
"The coaches have told us they do not want to take any chances on Kanu`s availability," a top official of the Nigeria Football Association (NFA) told AFP here.
Before now the player has insisted on featuring at the Nations Cup despite objections by Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger.
Nigeria open their Nations Cup campaign on January 24 against Algeria in Bamako. Host nation Mali and Liberia are the other teams in the group.
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Hits: 1 | Source:Dailysoccer | |
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