WCQ: Cape Verde striker ruled out of Nigeria clash
Ricardo Gomes will play no part when Cape Verde hosts Nigeria in match-day two of the 2022 World Cup qualifier billed for Estadio Municipal Aderito Sena, Mindelo on Tuesday evening.
The striker who plies his trade in the Serbian Super Lig with Partizan Belgrade missed his team’s Group C opener against the Central Africa Republic last Wednesday, after complaining of lingering injuries.
The 27-year-old, however, left the Blue Sharks’ camp over the weekend and the Cape Verdean FA have explained the situation surrounding his exit.
“The referred player informed the medical team and the technical team of Tubaroes Azuis, after his integration in the national team stage, in Douala, Cameroon, that he was injured, having undergone conditioning training, in the only training he was present before of the first game,” read a statement on the FA website.
“The same player informed the medical and technical staff that he would not be in physical condition to participate in the match, not even to be included in the match sheet as a substitute for the game against the Central African Republic, on September 1.”
“The national delegation traveled to Mindelo on September 2 to start preparations for the departure of the second round against Nigeria. The delegation left the hotel in Douala at 8:30, arriving in Mindelo at 20:00 thus making any training session or medical treatment impossible for the entire team.
“On Friday, September 3 Tubaroes Azuis held their first training session at the Aderito Senna Stadium, and the referred player performed a recovery training session together with the players who started against the Central African Republic, as he was still recovering from the injury that prevented him from participating in the match of the first round.
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“On Saturday, September 4, during the second training session of the Blue Tubaroes in Mindelo, given that the player would still be recovering from his injury, the technical and medical departments understood that there should be a gradual integration of the player, in training sessions. As an exercise, inserted in the training, with the participation of all 26 players of the Tubaroes Azuis, there was always, at each moment, rotating participation of the players.”
“At the end of September 4, the aforementioned player decided to leave the hotel where the Tubaroes Azuis internship takes place. “
Gomes has four goals in 16 international appearances for Cape Verde.