Gernot Rohr rues the absence of key players Ndidi and Ighalo for a crucial qualification game against South Africa.
Super Eagles head coach Gernot Rohr has stated that Nigeria will miss star players Wilfred Ndidi and Odion Ighalo when they take on the Bafana Bafana of South Africa in a 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier.
Nigeria take on South Africa in the fifth group E game of the AFCON clash as the top two sides meet with just two points separating them.
The Super Eagles can book a place among the 24 countries for the 2019 AFCON scheduled for Cameroon and Rohr is worried that key players missing may cost them a victory against at the FNB Stadium.
Ighalo suffered an injury playing for Chanchung Yatai in the Chinese Super League (CSL) and joined regulars Abdullahi Shehu and Francis Uzoho who were already on the absentee list.
Unlike Ighalo, Ndidi is not injured and picked up a second yellow card in the 3-2 win against the Mediterranean Knights of Libya which ruled him out of the South Africa encounter.
Rohr on Ighalo, Ndidi
Speaking to journalista at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba, Rohr rued the absentees and stated that they will all be missed.
He said, “Three injured players and one suspended, its difficult to play without them.
“We are missing our right-back, Shehu, Ndidi is missing through suspension and injuries to our goalkeeper (Uzoho) and our goalscorer (Ighalo).
“So it’s a lot, but we will try to go to South Africa with some new players.
“We lost to South Africa a long time ago – over a year ago, but my young team now have experience of the World Cup and I believe they are able to play a good match even if we are missing four key players especially the goalkeeper and the goalscorer.
“Training sessions were good and we are well prepared.”
New arrivals such as Theophilus Afelokhai, Mikel Agu, Victor Osimhen, and Villarreal forward Samuel Chukwueze have replaced the injured stars.
The Super Eagles of Nigeria take on the Bafana Bafana of South Africa on Saturday, November 17.