Troost-Ekong Injured, Out of Nigeria, Algeria Friendly

•Okoye’s future as Super Eagles’ first choice goalkeeper threatened

Duro Ikhazuagbe 

Super Eagles Vice-Captain, William Troost-Ekong,  has joined the growing list of Nigerian players to miss the international friendly with Algeria in Oran on Tuesday.

The Watford centre back copped injury in Friday’s 2-2 draw with  Algeria’s home-based side.

Troost-Ekong left camp in Constantine yesterday for England where the injury will be scanned and treated. 

“William Troost-Ekong has left camp as a result of an injury cropped during the test game yesterday (Friday). He is back to base (in England) for further checks. Wishing you a speedy recovery Ekong”reads a tweet on the Super Eagles Twitter handle late yesterday evening.

He has thus joined the likes of Ahmed Musa, Victor Osimhen  and Wilfred Ndidi as some of Nigeria’s key players not avail for the Grade A friendly with Algeria, winner of the 2019 AFCON in Egypt.

Super Eagles head coach Jose Peseiro now has three central defenders at his disposal for the game against the Algerians.

Meanwhile, the  future of Maduka Okoye in the Super Eagles is again in the balance just as fellow goalkeeper Adeleye Adebayo said he would have been happier with a clean sheet on his debut.

Algeria ‘B’ team cashed in on sloppy goalkeeping by Okoye for them to take the lead in the 33rd minute of a test game played in Constantine Friday.

Nigerian fans are yet to forgive Okoye for his mistake that knocked the Eagles out of 2021 AFCON in Cameroon in February.

Okoye’s No. 1 place in the national team has again been questioned particularly as he has been frozen out at English Championship side Watford.

Israel-based Adebayo will later replace him to make his long-awaited debut for the Eagles.

However, the young shot stopper said his debut would have been a lot better if he could have stopped the penalty that Algeria netted for the game to end 2-2.

Like home team Algeria, the Eagles played with a completely different XI in the second half.

Tuesday’s game at the Miloud Hadefi Stadium, Oran will kick off at 8pm Nigeria time.