Nigeria vs Cameroon: Withdrawals hit Super Eagles, 16 Lions already in Vienna

SEVERAL Super Eagles players have withdrawn from Friday’s friendly against Cameroon scheduled for Vienna, Austria.

The two African rivals are billed to clash on Friday at the Stadion Weiner Neustadt but the match is in doubt following the spate of withdrawals by Nigerian stars.

As expected, Gernot Rohr is worried.

“We had nine defenders in the list. Six are now out,” the Super Eagles head coach told ESPN on Monday.

“They said they had some injuries and the doctors from the clubs said they need to rest because they have some pains. So we got some medical attestations from these teams.

“Ola Aina told me yesterday that his ankle is painful and he cannot make it and the club physio said he cannot play. Then we have (Kevin) Akpoguma, we knew already he is injured and cannot play.

“Victor Osimhen is injured. He sent us an attestation. The meniscus in his knee is painful.
“(Zaidu) Sanusi is injured.

He was in Paris to see a doctor, for surgery perhaps but not for the moment. (Tyronne) Ebuehi sent us a message with a medical attestation that he cannot make it. “And Semi Ajayi also says he has problems with his back and the Physio says he needs two weeks of rest.

“Simy Nwankwo also, they sent us attestation from his club that he cannot make it because he is injured.”

Also, some of the players in the squad who were called up as replacements have also pulled out, leaving Rohr to fear that the game could be called off.

“I invited the player Tijani from Salzburg who has told me that he is injured in training yesterday hamstring. And Frank Onyeka from Midjtylland, I called him but he cannot come either,” Rohr explained.

“I don’t know if they can cancel, I only know that I have maximum 18 players.

If the players from England, William (Troost-Ekong), Kelechi, Ndidi and Iwobi can come, then maybe we play but I have no substitutes and there is no chance to get other players.

“But if they cannot play because they have to go into quarantine, then we cannot make it.

“I think they made this friendly in Austria to give us a good condition for preparation, but I see that it is difficult to motivate the players to come to Europe because some of the players are in Nigeria already. And they have to come back to Europe to play.

“My problem now is that I hope that we will have 18 players to arrive.”

Meanwhile, the Indomitable Lions are poised for the match, with 16 of their players already in Vienna.

“The Indomitable Lions are in Vienna,” the team’s Twitter account stated on Monday. “They took up residence at the Hilton Vienna Danube Waterfront hotel. The technical staff is complete. Sixteen players have already joined the camp.”

The Cameroonians are expecting six more players in Vienna on Monday, including Bayern Munich striker Eric Choupo-Moting.