Coach Stephen Keshi has dropped skipper, Joseph Yobo from Nigeria’s preparation for the World Cup.
He has been replaced with unknown Fortuna Dusseldorf defender Leon Balogun for the international friendly against Mexico on Wednesday after injury to captain Joseph Yobo.
The team’s media officer Ben Alaiya confirmedl that Yobo picked up an injury.
“Yobo is out of this friendly against Mexico for injury reasons and has been replaced by Fortuna Dusseldorf’s Leon Balogun.
“He is already here with us in Atlanta,” Alaiya said.
Dusseldorf confirmed through their official website that Balogun has been invited for the friendly.
”For the first time defender Leon Balogun was invited by the Nigerian Football Federation for the national team. On Wednesday, 5 March he will take part in a friendly match against Mexico. The match will be played in Atlanta, America,” read the statement.
Balogun will join the list of three fresh invitees – Ramon Azeez, Imoh Ezekiel and Michael Uchebo handed a chance preparatory to the World Cup in Brazil.
Leon is born to a Nigerian father, Cesar Balogun and German mother, Orfa and eligible to play for both the Nigerian national team and Germany.
