BEVERLY HILLS, March 27, (THEWILL) – Nigerian player Alex Iwobi, who plays for English Premier League side Everton, tested positive for COVID-19 based on tests carried out on the squad before they left Nigeria and upon arrival at Porto-Novo in the Republic of Benin.
By implication, the 24-year-old was dropped from the line-up against the Squirrels of Benin for the 2021 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) on Saturday.
Following COVID-19 health and safety regulations, Iwobi will be tested again to ascertain the certainty of the test results before undergoing a mandatory period of self-isolation and personal quarantining to contain infection while he recovers.
That increases the likelihood of his dropping out of the Lagos fixture between the Super Eagles and the Crocodiles of Lesotho entirely, which is the final Group L match of the qualifying series.
This will be resolved after the result from the second test is out. But, for now, the stylish player will not contribute to the line-up as expected.
After the news broke out on Friday that one of the 24 players of the Béninoise squad invited for the fixture tested positive for coronavirus, the Super Eagles were thought to be safe until Iwobi’s results returned positive.
Now, he will have to see what the second test reveals while sitting out the Saturday encounter.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
