Wigan Athletic of England’s January loan signing from English Premier League mid-stream side, Brighton & Hove Albion, Leon Aderemi Balogun has been hit with yet another blight of injury, few days to the announcement of Nigeria’s roster for upcoming Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Sierra Lone, megasportsarena.com reports.
With Super Eagles’ coach, Gernot Rohr set to announce anytime this week his squad to battle The Leone Stars on March 27 and April 1, Balogun would have been hanging unto the fact of his renewed club active and regular playing time to get a nod into the first Nigerian squad roster to be released this year.
However, that now seems to be endangered by reports that he could not complete Wigan’s 1-0 win away to English Championship pacesetters, West Bromwich Albion on Saturday, as the tall Germany-born stopper had to made way for Kal Naismith midway through the second half.
Balogun has been enjoying a new lease of life since transferring to The Latics, helping goalkeeper David Marshall post three clean sheets in the last three league games, but he now looks set for a spell out for recovery, after Wigan announced that the former Dusseldorf, Darmstadt and SV Mainz of Germany defender had an injury-enforced substitution on Saturday.
Balogun even needed treatment on the pitch before he was replaced, which is bound to worry his mentor, Rohr, who is set to release his list of invitees for the AFCON 2021 qualifiers against Sierra Leone this week, starting from Monday.
It is now another case of doubt for Balogun, who had surely been in contention to make Rohr’s next squad list, having returned to form, with a change of fortune coming to indicate his first match with Nigeria, as he has not featured for the Eagles since AFCON 2019 in Egypt, where he lost his first team shirt to Kenneth Omeruo.
However, his troubled days in the Eagles might be set to continue, after a bitter-sweet outing at the weekend, as he produced a wonderful performance to help Wigan end Albion’s unbeaten run, on the same evening Bright Osayi-Samuel helped rescue a point for Queens Park Rangers.
Balogun and the man who took his spot in the Eagles, Semi Ajayi went head-to-head for their respective clubs, with records to preserve on either side, but it was Wigan who laughed last, as The Latics ended a 16-game unbeaten run of the hosts and moved out of the relegation zone.
Balogun, who was replaced on 69th minute after picking up a knock, has now recorded three wins and two draws since making the January loan switch from Brighton, while Ajayi’s West Brom maintain their lead at the summit of the table but are now just a point better than second-place Leeds United, who were victorious away at Hull City.
