The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has slammed a two-match ban on Super Eagles’ midfielder Ogenyi Onazi over his sending-off in Saturday’s 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Chad.
The SS Lazio playmaker, who has been a regular in the team’s midfield in the past few years, was shown a straight red card for retaliation.
He committed the act after Nigerien referee Ibrahim Mamane awarded Nigeria a penalty kick for a foul on striker Odion Ighalo.
A report on the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) website on Wednesday said news of the ban was conveyed to the Federation in a circular sent to it from the CAF Secretariat.It had stated that the ban was for the “violent conduct’’ for which Onazi was expelled.
The development means the Italy-based player is automatically suspended for his next two official matches.
These are: Tanzania versus Nigeria, and Nigeria versus Egypt.
Nigeria will visit Tanzania in Dar es Salaam on Sept. 5 on Match Day 2 of the qualifiers, and will then host Egypt on March 25, 2016.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Onazi was a silver medal winner when Nigeria hosted the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2009.
He also won gold medal with the Super Eagles at the 2013 AFCON in South Africa.
The midfielder was also in the Nigeria squad which reached the Round of 16 at the FIFA World Cup finals in Brazil last year.(NAN)
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