Chelsea and
Nigeria midfielder, Mikel Obi, will not be available for
Wednesday’s Mandela Challenge against Bafana Bafana in Durban, South Africa.
Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi, who made the confirmation in Durban on
Tuesday, said that Mikel opted out of the game due to a stomach infection he
picked up while on a pre-season tour with his English Premier League side.
Keshi, who approved his withdrawal, said he would
not “push Mikel too much” because of the September 7 World Cup qualifier
against Malawi in Calabar. It was said that Chelsea doctors wrote to the
Nigeria Football Federation on Monday asking that the player be excused for
health reasons.
Keshi said, “Mikel has been withdrawn from the
squad. He has a stomach bug.”
The other 19 players in the squad are already in
Durban for the game, including Mikel’s Chelsea teammate, Victor Moses. Keshi
also led the team in prayer for the late Nigeria international, Samuel
Okwaraji, who died on August 12, 1989 during a World Cup qualifying game
against Angola in Lagos.
“We pray for the repose of his soul and for the
family he left behind. We miss him badly but God knows best,” Keshi said before
Monday evening training session.
But Mikel is not the only player dropping out on
the eve of the kickoff as South Africa’s Anele Ngcongca has also pulled out.
Bafana coach Gordon Igesund said on Tuesday that team manager Barney Kujane
spoke to Ngcongca before his flight on Monday and he was eager to play.
However, it was reported that his Belgian side Genk are now claiming that he is
injured and have prevented him from joining the national team.
Igesund said he requested Ngcongca to come to
South Africa to be checked by South Africa Football Association medical team,
but Genk refused.
“Anele Ngcongca will not play against
Nigeria. Genk claim he is injured; it seems like a fabricated story. I am not
calling up a replacement for Ngcongca. I have cover. I am just very
disappointed at a club of Genk’s stature,” Igesund said.
Igesund maintained that his players are ready for
the African champions, when he met with Keshi at the Southern Sun Hotel, where
the Bafana Bafana are camped.
Many South Africans are eager to see the Super
Eagles beaten after witnessing many years of Nigeria’s dominance over their teams
at all levels.
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