Nigeria will field an under-strength team for Wednesday’s friendly
against Colombia in Cali after more withdrawals, officials disclosed.
Everton defender Joseph Yobo, Osaze Odemwingie and Chidi Odiah were
first to opt out of the game before Seyi Olofinjana, Chinedu
Ogbuke-Obasi and goalkeepers Vincent Enyeama and Dele Aiyegnugba also
pulled out.
Both Olofinjana and Ogbuke-Obasi suffered injury
during matches for their clubs at the weekend while Enyeama and
Aiyenugba failed to secure visas to Colombia.
“It’s a disturbing situation,” said Adeboye Onigbinde, a technical consultant for the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
“This clearly shows that we have to make the team a lot more competitive so as to avoid such a thing again.”
In
the absence of these key players, coach Shuaibu Amodu will most likely
pick several of the players who reached the final of the Beijing
Olympics in August.
Nigeria are using the Colombia game to
prepare for the joint qualifying tournament for the 2010 World Cup and
the Africa Cup of Nations.
They are drawn in a group that includes Tunisia, Kenya and Mozambique. The qualifying series resumes in March. (AFP)
