The duo of Alex Iwobi and Oghenekaro Etebo will be in Nigeria’s squad
for the World Cup qualifiers starting next month barring any unforeseen
circumstances, Nigeria coach Gernot Rohr has hinted.
Both players were left out from the squad that beat Tanzania 1-0 in
an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier on Saturday due to injury, but Rohr
has now suggested both players will return for Nigeria’s next
assignment, which is a World Cup qualifier against Zambia next month.
“We need to look at the player in Arsenal (Iwobi)and the player who
scored four goals in match at the Olympics (Etebo),” Rohr said after the
win over Tanzania..
Iwobi is currently out with a hamstring injury after being taken off
in Arsenal’s opening day loss to Liverpool in the Premier League, but is
expected back within the next couple of weeks.
Etebo, meanwhile, was also injured the time the squad for the
Tanzania game was announced, having suffered a hamstring injury during
Nigeria’s participation at the Olympic Games.
Nigeria are in group B of the 2018 World Cup qualifying series with Algeria, Cameroon and Zambia.