Tag: doubtful

Nosa Igiebor, 24,  is doubtful for Maccabi Tel Aviv’s Premier League clash today against Maccabi Haifa.

The Israeli press led by Sports Walla has suggested that the Nigeria international will not be making his second appearance in the league this term at the Sammy Ofer Stadium despite taking part in the training session held by The Yellows on Friday morning.

The attacking midfielder returned to Israel on Thursday after travelling to Barcelona to see a specialist on his troublesome knee and he trained today without any limitation as his knee was not bandaged.

But having missed training for most part of this week and with an eye on the Champions League clash against Dynamo Kiev, Igiebor is unlikely to get the nod from manager Slavia Jokanovic.

The Warri Wolves product has scored three goals across all competitions this season.

As exclusively reported by SL10 two weeks ago, Super Eagles midfielder Eddy Onazi will miss Lazio’s first game of the season against AC Milan which it lost 3-1.

Onazi wasn’t listed by Coach Stefano Pioli in his 23-man squad for the game against AC Milan at the San Siro.

The game happens to be the only match Lazio will play before the international break, meaning the Nigerian is now a huge doubt for the Super Eagles 2015 AFCON qualifiers against Rwanda/Congo and South Africa.

He missed all of Lazio’s pre-season games and the last time he kicked a ball in anger was on June 30,2014 during the World Cup second round loss to France.

Onazi got injured in that game following a horror tackle from Blaise Matuidi and despite claiming he is fully recovered after surgery, he was omitted from Lazio’s pre-season training activities.

Despite that, he was included in Coach Stephen Keshi’s 23-man AFCON 2015 qualifiers team schedule to begin Nigeria Nations Cup title defence on the  September 5th against Rwanda/Congo in Calabar.

The fact that no replacement has been called up in his place means the midfielder might travel home for the game and if deem fit enough by the Eagles crew, he might play in one of the the two qualifiers.

Nigeria World Cup defender Kenneth Omeruo is a huge doubt for the English Championship league opener for Middlesbrough next weekend, according to his coach.

Omeruo completed his loan switch from Chelsea to ‘Boro last Wednesday following a delayed summer break due to his World Cup participation with Nigeria.

And ‘Boro manager Aitor Karanka said the Super Eagles ace is unlikely to be fit enough to start against Birmingham next Saturday.

“I don’t think he’ll be ready,” Karanka told gazettelive.co.uk

“But that’s not a problem for him. I know what kind of player he is and he will have plenty of opportunities to play.

“If he is not ready for the first game, we have Ben Gibson, Dani Ayala, Christian Burgess or Seb Hines.

“They worked very well in pre-season and the season is very long.”

Former Nigerian international, Nwankwo Kanu, is unlikely to feature in this month’s Legends game against Bafana Bafana after undergoing heart surgery.

The 37-year-old had to have corrective heart surgery earlier this month, 17 years after his first career-saving surgery back in 1996 while playing for Ajax Amsterdam.

Kanu, who announced his international retirement in 2010, was reported to be part of the Legends squad that will face Bafana in Kano on March 30th, but his surgery means that this is now highly unlikely.

Players such as Jay Jay Okocha, Stephen Keshi, Benni McCarthy and Doctor Khumalo are still expected to take part in the game, though it seems like too much of a risk for Kanu, especially having only recently gone under the knife.

According to reports, Bafana’s full squad for the game will be released at some point today, with Nigeria’s team as yet unknown.

Super Eagles and Everton striker Victor Anichebe remains an injury doubt ahead of today’s FA Cup fifth-round replay against Oldham at Goodison Park.

Anichebe had to come off at half time in the original tie – a 2-2 draw on February 16 – having picked up a knock, and missed Saturday’s 2-1 Barclays Premier League defeat at Norwich.

Toffees manager David Moyes says “a couple of injuries” were sustained by his players in the Canaries match that will need to be assessed, while defender Tony Hibbert is still recovering from calf surgery.

Oldham caretaker manager Tony Philliskirk will assess the fitness of James Tarkowski, James Wesolowski and Carl Winchester ahead of the game.

Centre-back Tarkowski was substituted as a precaution due to a tight hamstring during the closing stages of Saturday’s 1-0 npower League One win over Portsmouth and was due to return to training on Monday alongside midfield duo Wesolowski (hamstring) and Winchester (ankle).

Left-sided midfielders Cristian Montano (thigh) and Youssouf M’Changama (knee) remain on the sidelines, while playmaker Jose Baxter is set to return to Goodison Park in opposition for the first time.

Doubts have surrounded President Goodluck Jonathan’s trip to Calabar for tomorrow’s all important Nations Cup return leg qualifier between Super Eagles of Nigeria and the Lone Stars of Liberia.

This is because of fears that the President may be booed by angry fans for his refusal not to review the judgement of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) that ceded Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon 10 years ago.

Before it was ceded, Oil rich Bakassi used to be a local government in Cross Rivers State, Nigeria that shared boundary with Cameroon.

“That is the feelers we are getting from the Presidency even though it has not been officially confirmed,” a top NFF source said.

Our source informed that the only top dignitary they were expecting was the Cross Rivers State governor, Senator Liyel Imoke.

“For now he is the only high profile guest that has confirmed his presence,” added the source.

Only last week, Jonathan had promised to be in Calabar to cheer Eagles to victory which was coming weeks after paying the team a surprise visit at the FIFA Goal Project while they preparing for the first leg encounter in Monrovia last month.