All set for CAR matches as Eagles open camp today

• Ndidi faces spell on sidelines

Super Eagles Coach, Gernot Rohr, arrived in Lagos on Saturday to set the tone for his team’s preparations for the Qatar 2022 World Cup qualifying doubleheader against the Central African Republic (CAR).

Nigeria will host CAR in Lagos on Thursday and then travel to Douala, Cameroun for the reverse fixture, which holds on October 10.

According to team officials, the players were expected to start arriving in Lagos yesterday and today after their weekend matches in Europe.

Earnest training will start tomorrow when all the invited payers are expected to have arrived in Lagos.

Apart from Oghenekaro Etebo and Wilfred Ndidi, who have been ruled out of the matches by different shades of injury, the 22 players listed for the game will move into the Eko Hotel camp on arrival, latest today.

Super Eagles Media Officer, Femi Raji, told The Guardian yesterday that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has ensured that the logistics are right for the team’s arrival, adding, “every member of the support staff will move into the camp today.”

As is always the case, the early arrivals will train at the hotel’s facilities, including the gymnasium, “before moving to the Teslim Balogun Stadium when all the players arrive.”

Meanwhile, reports from Leicester say Super Eagles midfielder, Wilfred Ndidi, is in for a long spell on the sidelines through injury.

Pressure is mounting on Leicester City manager, Brendan Rodgers, and the absence of midfield interceptor Ndidi will only add to the team’s woes.

Leicester sorely missed Ndidi, who was not available for the disappointing draw with Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park due to a hamstring problem yesterday.

Rodgers suggested after yesterday’s draw with Crystal Palace that the Nigerian could be out until as long as November.

Already, Watford midfielder, Etebo Oghenkaro, has been ruled out of action for six months, meaning that apart from missing the rest of the World Cup qualifiers, he will also completely miss the Cameroun 2022 African Cup of Nations.