Porto coach update on Zaidu: Nigeria will be without key LB for WCQ against Bafana Bafana, Benin

Speaking after his side's 2-0 win over Estrela da Amadora in a Liga Portugal match on Saturday, manager Sérgio Conceição did not bring good news on the injury suffered by Nigeria's first choice left-back Zaidu Sanusi. 

In his first appearance for Porto after the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, Zaidu was stretchered off the pitch in the first half after complaining about his left knee.

A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan conducted confirmed everyone's worst fears that Zaidu completely ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament and the external lateral ligament of his left knee and the initial prognosis is at least a six-month layoff. 

Apart from missing key Champions League and Liga Portugal games, the fullback will not be called up for Nigeria's crucial 2026 World Cup qualifying matches against South Africa's Bafana Bafana and Benin's Squirrels in June 2024.

The fact that he was rushed back from the injury he suffered in an AFCON quarterfinal clash versus Angola stresses his importance to the Super Eagles team. 

In quotes relayed by Portuguese sports daily A Bola, Sérgio Conceição said: "I think it is serious, it comes from a clear foul and that play causes the injury.

"We are having little luck with the refereeing, anyway, it happened... We are sad for Zaidu, I think the season is over for him and we are shaken by this situation, which was to be avoided, as it was a clear foul and we were left without a player for the rest of the time.”

Zaidu is scheduled to undergo surgery at a hospital in Porto in the coming days. 

Ifeanyi Emmanuel 

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