Nigeria suffer setback ahead of crunch match against Kenya

Nigeria national football team head coach Stephen Keshi has suffered a severe blow in his preparation for the crunch 2014 World Cup qualifier against Kenya after Chelsea’s prolific winger Victor Moses and Turkish Kasimpasaspor forward Kalu Uche announced their unavailability for the match.


The duo will also miss the Super Eagles high-profile friendly with Mexico. According to Nigeria newspaper National Mirror, the Turkish-based Uche wrote a letter to coach Keshi ruling himself out of the fixtures as he had “played with injury” for weeks for his club and was “advised” by his team doctor to use the off-season to recover from the injury.


On the other hand Moses, who helped Chelsea win the Europa League title last week as well as helping the Blues secure next season’s Uefa Champions League berth after finishing third in the Barclays English Premier League excused himself from the squad to treat a recurring injury.


Chelsea management has, however, said that Moses will be in the team’s pre-season tour of the United States but would be monitored during the tour.


The National Mirror reported that Keshi did not take lightly the withdrawal of the two players saying “he was not informed” of the development.


The absence of the duo will be a big blow to the Super Eagles as they plot to snatch the single group ticket to the final stage of the qualifiers.


At the same time, their opponents in the June 5 qualifier, Harambee Stars will be without key players, including captain Dennis Oliech of French Ligue side Ajaccio and first choice goalkeeper Arnold Origi who are both suspended from the tie.


Origi and Oliech are part of the 12-man foreign based legion that Harambee Stars head coach Adel Amrouche called up on Monday for the tie.


Oliech’s absence means Amrouche will try to cobble a strike force comprising of Kepha Aswani, David Gateri, Belgium based Johanna Omollo and the first rising Francis Kahata of Thika United.


Kahata was the hero the last time out with an exquisite free kick that enabled Kenya to hold the African champions to a 1-1 draw in Calabar on March 23.


Stars are currently in residential camp preparing for the return leg in a match MacDonald Mariga of Serie side Parma is expected to make his return after a long absence.


Mariga last featured in the Kenyan national team on October 8, 2011 in an African Cup of Nations qualifier against Uganda in Kampala in a tie that ended 0-0 and his return will be a big boost to the team