Russia 2018: Mikel may play with cast on left wrist

Following an injury sustained by Super Eagles’ skipper, Mikel Obi, Coach Gernot Rohr disclosed that the left wrist is in the cast and that permission will be sought from the referee to allow him to play with it.

Rohr added that the scan result on the left wrist revealed slight injury which necessitated the cast.

He was also a bit worried that his players have one day less rest than Argentina which played their previous match on Thursday.

He said he was also worried about the set piece deficiency of his team and that he was working on the antidote.

He, however pointed out that his team is not the only culprit at defending set pieces. “Sweden also conceded their goal against Germany from set piece. But we are working on the improvement.”

Also Nigeria’s Bryan Idowu is already excited at playing against Argentina in Saint Petersburg, the city of his birth. He remarked that he visited his parents on Sunday evening after the Super Eagles arrived the city from their base camp, Essentuki.

“It is a wonderful coincidence that I will be playing before my people”, he remarked at the press conference ahead of the potentially explosive match.

“I know this match is important for both sides. So good football should be expected as both sides need the match to move to the next stage”.

He remarked that the fact that all the previous encounters in the World Cup had gone the way of Argentina does not put any extra pressure on the Super Eagles.

He also said that the Super Eagles have remained focused on their game plan and were less concerned about the reported turmoil in the Argentina camp.