Sports
Yusuf’s Injury Not Serious
Nigeria’s Yusuf Mohammed will be available for Swiss side FC Sion from tomorrow.
It was feared that Yusuf had sustained a severely damaged left knee in Nigeria’s slim 1-0 World Cup qualifier victory over Mozambique on October 11.
The former Enyimba and Al-Hilal man was stretchered off in the first half of the tense match after a clash with a Mambas midfielder.
However, following a scan and analysis by his Swiss club, the injury was diagnosed as a minor knock.
That will come as relief, not only to FC Sion but also to Super Eagles coach Shaibu Amodu who had initially feared that he would be without the lively defender for the crucial World Cup qualifier against Kenya on November 14.
“I feel a sense of comfort now knowing that the injury is not as serious as first feared,” Yusuf Mohammed told our source from Sion in Switzerland.” I’ve started running today (Monday) and should start kicking football soon.
“Doctors told me I could have aggravated the injury but they are happy that it was just a knock and now am glad it is not so bad,” Yusuf added.
The defender, who got the nod ahead of Olubayo Adefemi in the Nigeria line-up against Mozambique, is however confident that a place in the World Cup is not impossible for the country.
In order to get to the finals in South Africa the Super Eagles must win their final game in Kenya and hope Tunisia draw or lose in Mozambique.
“We know everyone has given up hopes on us but we still have strong feeling that we can make it to the World Cup,” Yusuf explained.
“It is not going to be easy for us against Kenya just like Tunisia will also fight in Mozambique.
“I know many people have ruled us out already, rightly so because of the table, but strange things happen in football and that is why we want to fight hard for a win in Kenya.
“In the end we hope after taking care of our business, the rest will be down to the wire but I am confident we can still qualify.
“We have to say sorry to the fans for our performances so far and let them know that we need them to make what many have termed impossible to be very possible in the end.”
Iwobi spoke to Tidesports source ahead of Nigeria’s crunch playoff semi-final against Gabon on Thursday, November 13, in Rabat, Morocco.
The 28-year-old was reacting to Nigeria’s shaky World Cup qualifying campaign that saw the Eagles finish second in Group C behind South Africa’s Bafana Bafana.
“We’ve managed to rescue ourselves from the dead,” Iwobi told Tidesports source.
We know we have the players and the abilities to compete against any other country in the world.”
The Fulham star pointed to Nigeria’s star power, highlighting African Footballer of the Year winners Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen as proof of the squad’s quality.
“We have last year’s African best player (Ademola Lookman), the year before that (Victor Osimhen),” he said.
“It’ll be a shame if we don’t make it, but we have a lot of confidence. We just have to prove it to ourselves.”
Nigeria’s path to the United States, Canada and Mexico has been turbulent, with two coaches departing during the early stages of qualifying before Éric Chelle steadied the ship to steer the Super Eagles into November’s CAF playoffs.
Four nations from the continent – Nigeria, Cameroon, DR Congo and Gabon – will vie for a solitary spot to compete in next March’s inter-confederation playoffs, with a view to joining the already nine qualified African nations at the Finals.
It would mark Iwobi’s second appearance at the World Cup Finals and the Super Eagles’ first since the 2018 edition of the competition.
Back then, Iwobi featured in all three games as Nigeria was knocked out in the group stage.
The Chief Executive Officer(CEO) and Publisher of the Atlantic Bell Online medium, Mr. Celestine Ogolo has advised sports writers in Nigeria to diversify in sports writing and not to concentrate on football reporting alone.
The Deputy National President of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) Mr. Bonny Nyong has expressed commitment to support sports development and move SWAN forward.
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