Bad news for Rohr: Mikel out for rest of Season, Ighalo injured doubtful for Bafana Bafana clash

Super Eagles Captain and Tianjin TEDA midfielder, John Obi Mikel will miss the remainder of the Chinese Super League season due to injury. Ayo Olu Ibidapo of the Communication Department of the Nigeria Football Federation NFF confirmed the report. Mikel featured in 18 CSL matches this season and scored two goals providing two assists. Although,the Nigeria captain is yet to feature for the Super Eagles after they failed to advance from the the group stages of the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, after suffering from a muscle injury in training.

Mikel missed Tianjin Teda’s Tuesday’s training as a result of the injury. He will however miss Tianjin TEDA’s home game against Dalian Aerbin on Wednesday and Sunday’s final game of the season away at Guangzhou Evergrande.

Super Eagles forward, Odion Ighalo, is doubtful for the Super Eagles’ 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying fixture against the Bafana Bafana of South Africa after picking up an injury in Changchun Yatai’s 2-2 home draw against Tianjin Quanjin in a Chinese Super League clash yesterday. Ighalo was replaced in the17th minute of the encounter by Lasse Vibe following the injury.

The former Watford striker who was widely criticized for his poor showing at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in South Africa has been one of the key performers for the Super Eagles in recent outings. Ighalo scored six goals in his last three games for the three-time African champions.

He is also the second top scorer in the Chinese Super League with 21 goals five adrift of Shanghai SPIG’s Wu Lei who has hit the back of the net 26 times. Nigeria will face Bafana Bafana in a 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matchday-five fixture at the FNB Elche of Spain goalkeeper, Francis Uzoho has already been ruled out of the game through injury with Enyimba’s Theophilus Afelokhai already named as his replacement. Nigeria top Group E with nine points, one more than Bafana Bafana who sit in second position with eight points. Libya occupy third position with four points, while Seychelles, at the bottom, have one point. The Super Eagles will aim to avenge their 2-0 loss to the Bafana Bafana in the reverse fixture at the Akwa Ibom International Stadium, Uyo last year.