The list of 23 players called up to the senior national team of Nigeria was made public by coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Jose Peseiro ahead of the back to back AFCON qualifiers games against Guinea Bissau.
One player who was conspicuously missing from the list is Torino of Italy defender Ola Aina who has returned to full fitness hence fit enough to add to his international caps for the senior national team of Nigeria.
His omission caused lot of uproars but from checks made by the editorial team of OGN, we can authoritatively reveal that cards accumulation is why the 26 year old was axed from the team.
He got his first yellow card in the 73rd minute of Nigeria’s encounter with Sierra Leone in Abuja. Days later, he was again booked in the 58th minute of the 10-0 defeat of Sao Tome in Morocco.
In accordance to Article 42.1 of the Regulations of the Africa Cup of Nations, “a player who receives two
cautions shall be automatically suspended from playing the following match.” It is this provision that rules out Ola Aina in the encounter with Guinea Bissau.
Mohammed Mowiz