Nigeria winger Samuel Chukwueze will miss the second leg of the 2022 FIFA World Cup final play-offs against Ghana due to injury, coach Augustine Eguavoen has confirmed.
Chukwueze sustained a knock during the first leg at the Baba Yara Sports stadium in Kumasi last Friday.
Ghana and Nigeria played out a goalless draw in an exciting and exhilarating game.
Eguavoen said Chukwueze did not take part in Saturday’s recovering training section, adding that he rested the Villarreal star.
"The team is in high spirits. We are more than halfway through. I had a word with them and praised them because they were resilient," Eguavoen told NFF TV.
"They worked hard in such an atmosphere, so I think it was a fair result.
"Some players did not get involved now because one or two had a knock yesterday and recovered training, people that played 90 and 94 minutes usually do just a little bit and then rest.
"People who didn’t play up to 70 minutes will do more, that is exactly what we just did, like few of them that had knocks like Chukwueze, we just want to rest him and he can probably resume tomorrow."
The two West African countries will face each other in the second leg on Tuesday at the Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abuja.
The winner of the tie will represent the continent at the World football showpiece which is scheduled to take place from November 21 to December 18.
The Super Eagles are seeking to qualify for the global showpiece a 7th time and, since 1994, have missed only one of seven editions. The last of three appearances by Ghana was in 2014.