2022 World Cup qualifiers – Cape Verde vs Nigeria: Super Eagles will miss Iheanacho, Ndidi, others -Okoye

Super Eagles No 1 goalkeeper Maduka Okoye has admitted the team will miss their top Premier League stars including two-goal hero Kelechi Iheanacho against Liberia when they take on Cape Verde Tuesday.

The UK Coronavirus travel restrictions have barred players from the Premier League and Scotland from the trip to Cape Verde, which is on the Red List.

This means that besides Iheanacho, Wilfred Ndidi, Alex Iwobi, Leon Balogun, William Ekong, Oghenekaro Etebo and Joe Aribo will all not be available in Cape Verde.

“We will miss them (the absentee players), but we have a big team and the other players can do the same,” Sparta Rotterdam goalkeeper Okoye said.

“We will prepare as a team very well.

“It will be a good match against a good opponent in Cape Verde.”

Okoye was excited to keep a clean sheet against Liberia and for the Super Eagles to get off to a winning start in the World Cup qualifiers.

“It was a perfect way to start the qualifiers. We’re very happy we still performed under difficult conditions and to keep a clean sheet made it even better,” he said.

Ahead of the game on Tuesday the Gernot Rohr trained on artificial pitch to prepare for the game. The match will be played on  Estadio Municipal Aderito Sena, Mindelo.

The Super Eagles will leave Lagos Monday morning aboard a chartered flight for the game.