Onyekuru Named As Replacement For Injured Ighalo In Super Eagles Squad For AFCON Qualifier Against South Africa

Henry Onyekuru of Turkish club Galatasaray has been handed a late call-up as a replacement for the injured Odion Ighalo for Super Eagles’ 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying clash against the Bafana Bafana of South Africa.

The encounter is billed for the FNB Stadium, Johannesburg next week Saturday and three days later the three-time African champions will also battle the Cranes of Uganda in an international friendly encounter at the newly opened Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba on November 20.

Odion Ighalo who has been in scintillating form for the Super Eagles sustained a hamstring injury in his club Changchun Yatai’s Chinese Super League encounter against Tianjin Quanjin on Wednesday.

He was replaced in the 17th minute of the fixture by Lasse Vibe and will be out of action for up to five weeks. Ighalo will also miss Changchun Yatai’s last league match of the season against Dalian Yifang, this will be a huge loss for the Chinese club who are fighting to escape relegation.

The much-criticized Super Eagles striker has scored six goals in his last three appearances for Nigeria and has notched up an impressive 21 goals for Changchun Yatai in the Chinese Super League this season.

Henry Onyekuru has been sidelined from competitive action after picking up an injury in Nigeria’s last qualifying fixture against Libya in Sfax, Tunisia. He only returned to action last weekend for his Turkish club, Galatasaray. He started in Galatasaray’s 2-0 loss to the German club, Schalke 04 in a UEFA Champions League encounter on Tuesday.

Nigeria top Group E with nine points, one more than Bafana Bafana who sit in the second position with eight points. Libya occupies the third position with four points, while Seychelles have one point.