This may probably be the best moment for Super Eagles coach, Gernot Rohr with the news that some key members of the team have arrived in the country for the crucial 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Benin and Lesotho.
Recall that the last few days have not been too good for the technical crew had learnt that a few of his players have been prevented from honouring the games due to the Covid-19 travel ban in Europe.
Last week Tuesday, it was Nantes that first announced that they won’t be able to release Simone Moses as a result of the ban which will force the player to be quarantined for two weeks upon arrival from the red zone country.
Days later, Almeria’s Umar Sadiq, FC Leganes defender, Kenneth Omeruo were also blocked by their clubs from featuring in the games due to Covid-19 fears.
Note, under current Covid-19 guidelines, footballers arriving in European countries are subject to spend time in quarantine and they cannot train and play for their club when they return.
To exacerbate the situation, Fifa extended an exemption for clubs to refuse the release of their players if there is a mandatory quarantine of five days or more in place in the relevant country.
While upcoming South American qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup have been postponed to allay such fears, the critical African Cup of Nations games were not.
However, with the arrival of some key players such as William Troost-Ekong, Ola Aina, Henry Onyekuru, Semi Ajayi, Ahmed Musa, Oghenekaro Etebo, Maduka Okoye, Leon Balogun, Alex Iwobi, Jamilu Collins, Abdullahi Shehu, Chidozie Awaziem, Adeleke Adekunle, Tyronne Ebuehi, Paul Onuachu, and others that will be expected later today, it will definitely be sweet music to the ears of Rohr.
The German tactician no doubt would have been worried about the sudden withdrawal of a few players from the games due to the Covid-19 travel ban, however, the arrival of the ‘superstars’ may have brought some glimpse of hope to the team’s quest of qualifying for the tournament.
Nigeria are currently top of Group L where all the teams, which include Benin, Sierra Leone, and Lesotho, can still qualify for January’s finals in Cameroon.
The Super Eagles have eight points, one ahead of the squirrels of Benin while the Leone Stars of Sierra Leone have three points and Lesotho two.
A point and victory for the three-time AFCON champions against the Squirrel of Benin and Crocodile of Lesotho could all but guarantee qualification for the bi-annual showpiece in Cameroon.
source:- completesports
