Super Eagles defender at risk of missing Nigeria’s crucial Afcon-qualifying clash in March

The Nigeria worldwide has been out of motion for 3 months and isn’t anticipated again to competitiveness any time quickly

Queens Park Rangers defender Leon Balogun is at risk of lacking the Tremendous Eagles’ crunch double-header Africa Cup of Nations qualifying video games towards Guinea Bissau in March.

Balogun has not been seen on a soccer pitch since that includes for 45 minutes in QPR’s 1-2 residence loss to Huddersfield on November 8.

Earlier than struggling the damage that has sidelined him for 3 months, the 34-year-old was glorious for the Hoops making 11 league appearances and scoring as soon as – in a dramatic 2-1 conquer Wigan again in October.

The damage has lowered Balogun’s affect for membership and nation in latest occasions, with the previous Glasgow Rangers star not within the plans of Nigeria’s head coach Jose Peseiro in the direction of the top of 2022.

Peseiro led the Tremendous Eagles to pleasant conferences with Algeria in October and Portugal in November – Nigeria misplaced each video games – with out Balogun being obtainable.

The final time Balogun performed for Nigeria was as a second-half substitute through the Tremendous Eagles’ historic 10-0 victory over Sao Tome and Principe in an Afcon qualifier in June.

Balogun, obtainable in March? 

Subsequent month, consideration will shift again to the continental qualifying sequence with Nigeria going through Guinea Bissau in back-to-back matches in Abuja (March 20) and Bissau (March 27).

As soon as once more, it seems coach Peseiro won’t be able to rely on Balogun for the March fixtures after Queens Park Rangers’ supervisor Neil Critchley reportedly stated the Nigerian defender continues to be ‘a couple of weeks’ from returning to motion.

Balogun joined the Rs in August on a free switch signing for a 12 months.

The ex-Mainz man’s contract expires in the summertime and regardless of his optimistic contributions, it’s claimed that Rangers may launch him.

With age now not on Balogun’s aspect, it’s anticipated that the defender’s affect within the Tremendous Eagles will maintain waning till he retires.

Nigeria’s coach Peseiro could have, nonetheless, discovered a long-term alternative for Leon Balogun.

The Portuguese tactician invited Boavista’s center-back Bruno Onyemaechi for Nigeria’s conflict towards Portugal final 12 months.

And the 23-year-old may earn one other invitation within the seemingly absence of Balogun.