Nigeria will be without midfield anchor Wilfred Ndidi for Sunday’s CAF World Cup playoff final after the Besiktas midfielder picked up his second yellow card of the qualifying series in Thursday’s semi final win over Gabon. The suspension rules for the tournament mean two bookings carry an automatic one-match ban.
Ndidi was shown a yellow early in the Gabon game for a foul that stopped a promising Panthers break. That booking followed an earlier caution he received in the qualifying phase, leaving him ineligible for the final.
Losing Ndidi is a significant blow for Eric Chelle’s side. Ndidi has been the team’s key defensive midfielder all campaign, breaking up play, shielding the back four and recycling possession with calm and purpose. His absence will force Chelle to rejig the central midfield balance for the showdown with DR Congo.
Options to replace him include Frank Onyeka, who has international experience in a holding role, or Raphael Onyedika, who offers energy and box-to-box mobility. The coaching staff will decide in the remaining training sessions, with emphasis likely on preserving defensive stability while maintaining forward momentum.
The final in Rabat will now test Nigeria’s squad depth and tactical flexibility. DR Congo reached the decider after a late winner against Cameroon and will pose a different set of problems, notably physicality from midfield and threat from set pieces.
