ABUJA – The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on Sunday in Abuja said defender Segun Oduduwa has been ruled out of the national under-23 team’s trip to the Suwon Invitational Tournament.
A statement by Ademola Olajire, NFF’s Assistant Director of Communications, said Oduduwa’s non-inclusion for the trip to South Korea was as a result of injury.
“Team doctor Sam Ogbondeminu said Oduduwa suffered the injury after he was badly tackled during one of the team’s last training sessions at the practice pitch of the Abuja National Stadium.
“While he disclosed that the player has been stabilised for now, Ogbondeminu said the process is on to get the best definitive treatment for the injured central defender to return as soon as possible.
“But, for now and due to the gravity of the injury, he has been ruled out of the Suwon tournament,’’ Olajire said in the statement.
The statement also quoted team head coach Samson Siasia, while reacting to the news, as saying due to the development he would be going to the tournament with only 19 players.
“Due to the fact that the nature of the player’s injury has been confirmed so close to the team’s departure, the technical crew cannot get a replacement.
“As such, only 19 players will be going to South Korea, instead of the 20 earlier selected.
“But I hope the doctors will work round the clock to remedy this unfortunate incident so that Oduduwa can return to training on time.
“We want him to be fit for the Rio Olympics, as he has been an integral part of this team from the beginning,’’ the former Super Eagles coach was quoted as saying.
The injured Oduduwa has been a key member of the Dream Team.
He had played virtually all the team’s qualifying matches on their way to the 2015 All-Africa Games in Congo, where the team won a bronze medal.
He also featured at the Africa U-23 Cup of Nations in Senegal where the team triumphed to pick one of Africa’s three tickets to this year’s Olympics.(NAN)