ALEXANDRIA, Egypt, Jun 25 – Nigeria head coach Gernot Rohr has revealed that striker Samuel Kalu is fit to play in their 2019 Africa Cup of Nations Group B tie against Guinea on Wednesday after he collapsed in training last Friday with concerns that it was a heart condition.
Kalu was left out of the match day squad on Saturday as they won 1-0 against Burundi, but was in the stadium to support the team.
Rohr had disclosed after the game that the Bordeaux forward had only collapsed due to dehydration and further tests conducted in Cairo on Monday showed he was okay, devoid of any heart condition.
“Kalu did an MRI in Cairo and now it is 100 percent confirmed that he is fit and will be available for the game. He has already started training. We are happy about it everybody was a little scared but now at least we are happy that he is okay,” the tactician stated on Tuesday.
He added; “I want to thank the CAF team because immediately it happened, they were there and there was an ambulance ready and he was immediately taken to hospital.”
Kalu is now expected to be in the match-day squad for their tie on Wednesday against Guinea. Meanwhile, defender Shehu Abdullahi has been ruled out after he was stretchered out against Burundi.
Ahmed Musa who started off the bench in that game as precaution to a previous injury is now ready to start according to the tactician.
Meanwhile, the players staged a sit in at their hotel in Alexandria, protesting over match winning bonuses and allowances. Rohr was supposed to have come to the pre-match press conference with Musa, but said he was held back ‘with an important meeting’.
