Nigeria Fielded An Ineligible Player In WCQ Vs Algeria, Lose 3-0 & Fined N2.2M By Fifa

The governing body of association football, Fifa, has sanctioned the Nigeria Football Federation for fielding an ineligible player in the Super Eagles final World Cup qualifier against Algeria at Stade Mohamed Hamlaoui, Constantine on November 10, 2017.

Fifa has started that Anorthosis Famagusta defender Abdullahi Shehu was yellow carded in two matches during the qualifiers and should not have been named in the match day squad against the North Africans.

''The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has been sanctioned for fielding an ineligible player in the match between Algeria and Nigeria on 10 November 2017,'' Fifa said in a statement published on its official website.

''The match is declared to be forfeited and awarded 3-0 in favour of Algeria, with the NFF also receiving a fine of CHF 6,000 (around N2.2 million)

''The sanction relates to the player Abdullahi Shehu failing to serve the automatic one-match suspension imposed on him as a result of receiving a caution in two separate matches of the same competition.

''This sanction bears no impact on the final result of the preliminary competition for the FIFA World Cup since Nigeria had already qualified (and Algeria eliminated) before the match took place. ''

In the light of the foregoing, the Super Eagles have lost their unbeaten record in the 2018 African World Cup qualifiers, and accumulated 13 points in six matches, ahead of Zambia who garnered 8 points.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel