Izuchukwu Okosi
Super Eagles striker Odion Ighalo was in action for 90 minutes on Saturday evening as his Saudi Arabian club Al-Shabab were held to a 1-1 draw by Abha on Matchday 16 of the Saudi Pro League.
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Ighalo was expected to be with his international teammates in Cameroon ahead of Nigeria’s opening game of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations against Egypt on Tuesday but with little under 72 hours before the match, it is increasingly doubtful that he will be able to team up with his international teammates.
The Saudi club insists that the invitation letter from the Nigeria Football Federation came later than the expected time and therefore obliged to stop him from representing Nigeria citing FIFA’s rule which states that associations must notify clubs of invited players at least fifteen days before the start of a tournament.
Hassan Al Qayd opened the scoring for Abha after eight minutes on the clock but Al-Shabab equalised through an own goal from Abdulrahman Al Barakah just before the hour mark.
Unless Ighalo strikes a resolution with his employers and jets off to Cameroon, coach Austin Eguavoen will make do with 27 rather than the 28 players approved players at the Nations Cup.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
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