AFCON Qualifiers: Ndidi Doubtful For Sierra-Leone Clash

Babalola Seyi

Super Eagles midfielder, Wilfred Ndidi, is set to miss Nigeria’s 2023 Africa Cup of Nations opening qualifying game against Sierra Leone due to injury, Sportivation.com.ng reports.

Ndidi is said to be recovering from a knee injury suffered in a UEFA Europa Conference League round of 16-second leg tie against Stade Rennais on March 17.

The Leicester City midfielder was ruled out for the rest of the season, which made him miss the Super Eagles’ Qatar 2022 World Cup play-offs against Ghana in March as the squad failed to qualify for the first time in 16 years.

Brendan Rodgers, Leicester City manager stated that Ndidi will not be back for the team’s last game of the season against Southampton on May 22, and the Nigerian will only return to training – not full fitness – on May 31.

The Eagles are in Group A along with Sierra Leone, Guinea-Bissau, and Sao Tome and Principe or Mauritius with the first two teams in the group booking an automatic qualification for the AFCON.

With the Eagles set to play the Leone Stars on May 30, the mercurial midfielder is not likely to be fit enough to take part.