Akwa United forward Ndifreke Effiong has been handed a late call up to the senior national team of Nigeria as a replacement for injured on loan Chelsea defender Ola Aina according to the Nigeria Football Federation ( NFF) .
NFF announced the invitation of Effiong on their official twitter handle as a replacement for Aina who although made his comeback from injury last week for Torino will miss the game owing to an unspecified injury.
Aina was yesterday sent off in Torino’s 2-3 loss to Bologna in the Serie A. He was in time added on after regulation time for two bookable offence in quick succession to blot his near perfect loan spell in Italy with Torino.
Effiong joined is home town club Akwa United from Abia Warriors before the start of the current Nigeria Professional Football League ( NPFL) season and few minutes before the announcement of his call up to the Super Eagles he scored the opener for Akwa United in their 2-1 win away to Heartland FC of Owerri.
A member of the Nigeria Olympic squad to the last Olympic games in Rio, Effiong becomes the second player to be called up to the squad after Ikouwem Udoh was called up as replacement for injured Samuel Kalu two days ago.
Osas Mahawi
