Nigerian Defender Ugo Njoku Not To Play In Team For 3 Games

Nigeria defender Ugo Njoku has been suspended three games at the Women's World Cup for an elbow to Australia forward Samantha Kerr's face in a match on Friday.

Australia won the match 2-0 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, but the victory was marred by the second-half hit on one of the Matildas' top players.

Njoku, who came on as a sub, will not be allowed to play in Nigeria's final group-stage match against the United States on Tuesday in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Nigeria, ranked No. 33 in the world, played to a 3-3 draw with Sweden in its opener, and then fell to Australia on a pair of goals from Kyah Simon.

FIFA, soccer's international governing body, also fined Njoku. If Nigeria does not advance to the knockout round, the remaining suspension will must be served over Nigeria's next two official matches.

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Nigerian Player, David Oniya Dies On Field While Playing For Club In Malaysia

A Nigerian defender, David Faramola Oniya has been declared dead today, Saturday, June 13 after collapsing on the pitch during a friendly match between his club, T-Team and Kelantan in faraway Malaysia.

Local media reports say 30-year-old Oniya, who was T-Team captain, collapsed just three minutes into the match in Kota Bharu and was immediately rushed to the hospital. The match was abandoned after 60 minutes when a message was received from the hospital that Oniya had died.

The deceased defender had only just joined the Malaysian club this season. Yet another sad news hitting the Nigerian football circle, Oniya is not the first Nigerian to have died abroad in recent times. Bobsam Elejiko died while playing for his club in Belgium about 3 years ago.

Like Oniya, Elejiko who was also 30 years old at the time of his death, collapsed and died while playing for his Belgian side, Merksem SC in a fifth-tier game against FC Kaart.

Attempts to resuscitate the defender, who previously played for Westerlo and Antwerp among other teams, were unsuccessful and his club, Merksem released a statement after the match was abandoned.... 

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