Algeria Suffer Another Injury Blow After Napoli's Ghoulam Opts Out

Napoli and Algeria defender Faouzi Ghoulam has been ruled out of Saturday’s World Cup qualifier in Nigeria after he suffered a groin injury.


Twenty-five-year-old left back Ghoulam has been an injury concern and now it has been announced he is out of the clash in Uyo and will not be on the flight to Nigeria on Thursday.

Ghoulam’s withdrawal has made it increasingly difficult for coach Georges Leekens to line up a formidable after three top players were also lost to injuries earlier this week.

Midfielders Rachid Ghezzal and Ryad Boudebouz as well as striker Hilal Soudani opted out of the World Cup qualifier in Nigeria on account of injury.

Ghezzal and Boudebouz were examined by Algeria team doctors before they were excused from the training camp, while Dynamo Zagreb striker Soudani did not even fly down to Algiers.

They have since been replaced by Baghdad Bounedjah, Yassine Benzia and Ismael Bennacer.