Posted by By Tunde Oyedele on
The fantastic performance by Nigerian defender, Joseph Yobo, for Everton, in yesterday's Premiership clash with Middlesborough, came as a rude shock to Nigerians after the player said he won't be able to play for his fatherland due to a calf injury.
The fantastic performance by Nigerian defender, Joseph Yobo, for Everton, in yesterday's Premiership clash with Middlesborough, came as a rude shock to Nigerians after the player said he won't be able to play for his fatherland due to a calf injury.
Yobo, who was invited for Nigeria's international match against Colombia, on Wednesday, by coach Shuaibu Amodu, opted out of the game, saying he had a calf injury.
It was barely three days after Yobo's withdrawal from the Nigeria/Colombia match that he featured in Everton's game. Surprisingly, he played one of his best football ever, yesterday, and was in superb form for Everton who played 1-1 with Boro.
The centre back marshalled his club's defence well and the way he performed in the Everton/Boro match is raising eyebrows back in Nigeria. Yobo's seeming act is not the first, it has become a regular phenomenon among foreign-based Nigerian players to select the matches they want to play for their fatherland. Though the Super Eagles' assistant captain feigned injury, his people at home were not fooled.
Also, defender Chidi Odiah, of CSKA Moscow, and Obasi Ogbuke have been ruled out of the Eagles match with Colombia, in Cali, due to injuries. Meanwhile, skipper, Nwankwo Kanu, of Portsmouth, and Yakubu Aiyegbeni, who scored a timely equaliser that saved Everton from a home defeat to Boro yesterday, confirmed they will feature in Wednesday's match for Nigeria.