Injury Rules Akpan Out Of AFCON

Reading midfielder,
Hope Akpan has ruled himself out of today’s decisive AFCON 2015 qualifier against South Africa after he suffered an injury to his left arm in Congo.
African champions Nigeria needs to win today to qualify automatically for next year’s Africa Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea.
“I’m feeling a lot better now, but I won’t be able to play on Wednesday,” said defensive midfielder Akpan, who was forced out of the match against Congo in Pointe-Noire due to the injury.
“I hope to be back in action in a few weeks.”
Akpan made his Eagles debut against Sudan in Abuja last month and the match in Congo was only his second cap.
Meanwhile, the Super Eagles have been boosted by the return to training of injured defenders Kenneth Omeruo and Azubuike Egwuekwe.
Team spokesman Ben Alaiya disclosed, “Both Omeruo and Egwuekwe resumed training with the rest of the squad in Uyo.”
Omeruo was nursing groin and knee complaints and as such was ruled out of Saturday’s clash against Congo in Pointe-Noire.
Egwuekwe, who stood in for the injured Omeruo, suffered a head gash after going up for an aerial ball.
The Eagles resumed training in Uyo on Sunday.
Today’s match will kick off by 6pm Nigerian time at the Akwa Ibom International Stadium aka ‘The Nest of Champions’.