Everton of England utility player, Alex Iwobi could be on his way back into the Super Eagles’ squad for Tuesday’s final game of the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, as he has received backing against a positive coronavirus test he got in Benin Republic.
Megasportsarena.com reports that the positive COVID-19 result meant the former Arsenal of England playmaker had to be dropped from Saturday’s game in Porto Novo and then miss Tuesday’s clash with Lesotho, though he had earlier been included in the Eagles’ starting line-up.
Iwobi, who had made 22 straight appearances for the Eagles before he was forced to miss the match on Saturday, was originally named in the Nigerian starting line-up but was altogether left-out after checks by Beninese medical hands revealed that he had tested positive for coronavirus.
That came just before the Eagles’ players and officials departed from their hotel for the mach at Stade Charles de Gaulle in Porto-Novo and Iwobi was forced to self-isolate due to the positive test result, but Eagles’ coach, Gernot Rohr has now hinted that the verdict was ‘fake.’
The former England youth international and ex-Arsenal under-21 team captain was also able to return to Lagos with the Nigerian delegation because they went for the game in Porto Novo aboard a chartered boat, which saved him from being detained by by the Beninese officials.
The whole Nigeria squad went through fresh COVID-19 tests on their arrival back in Lagos on Sunday and if Iwobi returns a negative result, his isolation would end with immediate effect, but Rohr has already declared that the verdict the player got in Cotonou was faulty.
The Franco-German gaffer went on to affirm that Iwobi will take to the pitch against Lesotho on Tuesday, ahead of which Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) officials shared his opinion that the COVID-19 result might have been compromised.
ESPN writer, Colin Udoh tweeted: “Gernot Rohr has told me that although Everton’s Alex Iwobi tested positive for COVID on arrival in Benin, he believes the result is ‘fake.’ A second test has been taken and result due soon. Rohr tells me he’s confident Iwobi will play on Tuesday.”
