The Super Eagles Media Officer, Babafemi Raji, has rejected claims in some quarters that defender Chidozie Awaziem who has not been seen with his teammates has contracted the COVID-19 virus.
The defender was not listed for the Super Eagles opening 1-0 win against Egypt on Tuesday and was missing from the team’s recovery training on Wednesday and Thursday, raising fears that the Alanyaspor’s defender is sick.
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However, speaking on the medical condition of the player, Raji rebuffed claims that the player had either contracted the virus or suffered a knock as speculated by others.
“Awaziem is a bit under the weather, nothing really serious but just a little illness otherwise he would have been here (in training). It is also nothing pertaining to the knock he had or people said he had. He is good to go.”
Awaziem has been a utility player for the Eagles since making his debut for the team in 2017. The Alanyaspor man has been deployed in central defence and right-back positions. The 25-year-old has been capped 26 times by Nigeria with a goal to his name.
And with Nigeria playing again on Saturday, Awaziem is in a race against time to be involved. In his absence, Kenneth Omeruo partnered with William Troost-Ekong in the centre of defence to keep a clean sheet against Egypt.
Although Omeruo also picked up a knock during the match, he is expected to be fit for the game against Sudan after he was pictured in training.
