Victor Moses out of Super Eagles, DR Congo clash

• Mikel, John Ogu arrive in Uyo camp
• Fear of Ebola virus grips Port Harcourt fans

The hope of Nigerian soccer fans seeing the newly-crowned English FA Cup champion, Chelsea right wing-back, Victor Moses, train with the Super Eagles on home soil before the 2018 World Cup in Russia may have been dashed.

Moses played a key role in Chelsea’s 1-0 victory against Manchester United in their FA Cup final last weekend. Many fans were looking forward to see him at the Ibom Hotels and Golf Resort camp of the Super Eagles in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, where the team is preparing for their first international friendly match against DR Congo. The match will hold on Monday in Port Harcourt.

However, the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) said yesterday that Moses will only join the team in London ahead of the friendly with England on June 2, meaning he will only participate in two training sessions before they step out onto the Wembley Stadium pitch.

Super Eagles Media Officer, Toyin Ibitoye, told The Guardian in a telephone chat yesterday that all other players had arrived the team’s camp including Tianjin Teda midfielder, John Obi Mikel and Hapoel Beer Sheva’s John Ogu.

“All the players expect Victor Moses have arrived the camp. Moses will join us in London,” Ibetoyi stated.

Coach Gernot Rohr and the rest of the team are expected to have a media parley at their camp this afternoon in Uyo.

Meanwhile, some football fans in Port Harcourt have vowed never to come near the Yakubu Gowon Stadium, venue of the Super Eagles, DR Congo friendly match on Monday because of fear of the dreaded Ebola virus, which is ravaging the East Africa country.

The death toll from the Ebola outbreak in DR Congo rose to 26 after another person died in the northwest city of Mbandaka on Monday.

Some of the fans, who spoke with The Guardian in Uyo during the GOtv MAX Cup tie between the Super Eagles Team B and Atletico Madrid on Tuesday vowed never to risk their lives into the stadium in Port Harcourt on Monday for fear of coming in contact with people having the Ebola virus.

The Super Eagles will continue training in Nigeria until May 30 when they depart for London for the glamour friendly with England on June 2. They will commence their final phase of camping on June 3 in Austria, three days before facing Czech Republic.