World Cup Qualifier: Obaje, Egbuchulam in for injured Moses, Success

TAIWO ADELU

Nigeria’s Technical Adviser Gernot Rohr has reacted swiftly to letters from English Premiership clubs Chelsea and Watford that forwards Victor Moses and Isaac Success are injured and therefore would be unavailable for the Super Eagles’ crunch encounter with Zambia in Ndola on Sunday.

Chelsea’s Moses and Watford’s former junior international Success had been called up as part of Nigeria’s squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifying Matchday Day 1 tie against the Chipolopolo, but the Nigeria Football Federation received letters over the weekend saying Moses has hamstring trouble (adduced as reason for his being substituted in Chelsea’s match against Hull City) and that Success, who scored for Watford in their 2-2 draw at home to Bournemouth on Saturday, has a knock and finding it difficult to walk.

Rohr has now called up NPFL stars Godwin Obaje and Chisom Egbuchulam to take the places of the two injured players.

Obaje, on the books of Wikki Tourists of Bauchi, finished the just –ended Nigeria Professional Football League season as top scorer with 18 goals, and his goals steered the Bauchi darling team to a third place finish that has earned it a slot in next year’s CAF Confederation Cup competition.

Enugu Rangers’ skillful forward Egbuchulam finished just behind Obaje with 15 goals, including a hat-trick as the Flying Antelopes concluded a triumphant season with a 4-0 home win over El-Kanemi Warriors on Sunday, lifting the League diadem for the first time in 32 players.