Super Eagles coach for the upcoming friendly against CONCACAF powerhouse Mexico, Austin Eguavoen has revealed that Heartland star Ikechukwu Ezenwa will not board the plane to United States as he is suffering from an ankle-related injury.

Eguavoen is taking 22 players out of the 27 that trained with the team in Abuja, including two goalkeepers John Noble and Nwabili, to the United States.

The former Super Eagles captain and 1994 Africa Cup of Nations winner has suggested that Ezenwa suffered a training ground injury few days after the start of the training camp.

Ezenwa has undergone tests to determine the exact nature of his ankle injury and the good news is that he has not suffered a fracture.

Asked to give an update on the situation of Ezenwa, Eguavoen said to the Super Eagles Media Team on Wednesday : "It's a bit funny, he came no problem at all and then we had a training session he complained about his ankle, and the medical team managed him well.

"The next day he came out and that same evening he said he couldn't even walk, his leg was swollen, up till yesterday evening we were trying to see how far we can go.

"They have taken him to the hospital for a scan and the good news is that there is no fracture, it's just a ligament, one of the tissues there has been touched.

"The swelling is actually there, he has not trained for the past two days now. He's out, we'll speak to him later in the day.

"He should just take it in good faith, another opportunity will also present itself again so he's out of the trip".

Today, June 30, 2021, makes it two years Ezenwa last featured for the Super Eagles and it was against Madagascar at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.

Igho Kingsley