Marvelous Nakamba, Zimbabwe’s captain, will miss six weeks due to a soleus injury sustained while playing for Luton Town, providing a strategic advantage to Nigeria’s Super Eagles ahead of their World Cup qualifying match. His absence weakens Zimbabwe significantly, as they prepare to face Nigeria, who are also managing their own injury challenges. The Super Eagles hope to leverage this situation during their upcoming fixtures.
Eric Chelle’s Super Eagles have received a significant advantage ahead of their upcoming FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Zimbabwe. Marvelous Nakamba, Zimbabwe’s defensive midfielder and captain, has sustained a soleus injury while playing for Luton Town, ruling him out for six weeks. Nakamba has been a key player for The Warriors, participating in 20 of Luton’s 35 Championship league games this season but had to exit the match against Watford at halftime due to his injury.
The injury was confirmed by Luton Town’s head coach, Matt Bloomfield, who stated, “Shandon [Baptiste] and Marv [Nakamba], both out six weeks. Both got soleus injuries.” He expressed the unexpected nature of the injury, highlighting that he initially did not realize Nakamba was hurt until after he was substituted. The loss of Nakamba, who has captained Zimbabwe in the last five matches, considerably weakens their midfield and team morale.
For Nigeria, Nakamba’s absence from the match presents an opportunity. The Super Eagles will need to leverage this situation, as they face a Zimbabwean side missing a crucial player. Nonetheless, Nigeria will be without Semi Ajayi due to a hamstring injury. Several attackers, including Samuel Chukwueze, Ademola Lookman, and Victor Boniface, have recently returned from injuries and must regain form ahead of their critical qualifiers.
The Super Eagles are scheduled to play against Rwanda on March 19 before their encounter with Zimbabwe at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium on March 22. The absence of Nakamba may be pivotal in determining the outcome of these fixtures and Nigeria’s path to the World Cup.
In summary, the Super Eagles benefit from Marvelous Nakamba’s injury ahead of their World Cup qualifiers, significantly reducing the strength of the Zimbabwean squad. Nigeria must capitalize on this advantage, particularly while managing their own injury challenges. The upcoming matches will be crucial for both teams as they strive for qualification, and the absence of key players could have a defining impact on their performance.
Original Source: soccernet.ng
