Uche Kalu Injured, Obi Mikel Recuperating as Super Eagles Prepare for AFCON

By Arinze Ude

Super Eagles striker, Uche Kalu has been ruled out of the forthcoming AFCON tournament due to a nagging groin injury. According to reports from Super Eagles camp in Faro, Portugal via MTNFootball.com, the Rizespor of Turkey striker has been sidelined by a groin injury he suffered in training and doctors have decided he won’t recover in time for the tourney. “Uche (Kalu) is here in camp, but he is down with an injury, a groin injury to be precise. He is being checked by the team doctor to ascertain the seriousness of the injury” team spokesman Ben Alaiya told MTNFootball.com. Uche Kalu finished the first round of season in the Turkish second division as the top scorer with nine goals. This comes as a blow to Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi after Shola Ameobi refused to honour the invitation for the AFCON. He may call-up Levante striker, Obafemi Martins as back-up. John Obi Mikel also cleared the air about his fitness for AFCON, after doubts soared – missing his third game in a row for Chelsea on Saturday. He said, “I’m okay. I had a knock two weeks ago and was told to rest for some time, but now I am fit and I actually started training two days ago with the Chelsea first team. So there should be no fears about any injury. I’m ready for the Nations Cup.” Mikel Obi’s Chelsea team-mate, Victor Moses who starred and scored in the FA Cup tie on Saturday, joined up with the rest of the squad in their Faro training base yesterday.