Ethiopia’s top striker Getaneh Kebede has been sidelined for Sunday’s 2014 World Cup playoff against the Super Eagles of Nigeria in Addis Ababa.
The 21-year-old forward, who plays for South Africa Premier Soccer League (PSL) club Bidvest Wits picked up an ankle injury on club duties, the BBC revealed.
He has since on Tuesday arrived in Ethiopia to join up with the rest of the squad but officials have confirmed that he would not recover in time to play against Nigeria.
Ethiopia national team handler, Sewnet Bishaw, will look to Saladin Said Ahmed, who scored a brace against Nigeria in June 2011 in a 2012 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifier in Ethiopia (ended 2-2), to lead the attack.
Saladin, alongside with Gibeto scored four goals in the group stages of the 2014 World Cup qualifiers, where they piped the likes of South Africa, Bostwana and Central African Republic to the top of the table.
