Mandela challenge: Ameobi blow for Eagles

Shola Ameobi has been taken to hospital for X-rays after damaging his hand in Newcastle United 3-1 friendly defeat to Rio Ave, a development Alan Pardew can scarcely afford given his dearth of centre forwards.

It is even worse for Nigeria coach, Stephen Keshi who recalled the veteran striker to the national team who was not at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa after he made his long-awaited debut for Nigeria in November in a friendly against Venezuela in the United States of America.

[caption id="attachment_405091" align="alignright" width="250"] Shola Ameobi[/caption]

Ameobi was recalled for next month’s international friendly against the Bafana Bafana of South Africa, the Mandela challenge.

He was taken out of the match with few minutes left with what looked like a broken wrist and if the scan report confirms the general fears, the bulky striker could be out of action for club and country for weeks.

The 31-year-old is one of the few strikers presently at the Alan Pardew’s disposal and he scored Newcastle’s consolation goal in their loss to a side which finished sixth in the Portuguese Primeira Liga

last season.

Worried Pardew last might admitted he couldn’t afford to lose another striker as he waited to hear whether Shola Ameobi had broken his wrist.

Ameobi was clearly in some pain as he was helped from the pitch with minutes remaining of the match.

And while the 31-year-old was never going to be a first choice for Pardew, having one of the few strikers available to him pick up an injury was the last thing the United manager needed.

Pardew said: “The most worrying thing about the game is that it looks like Shola has hurt his arm and is now off for an X-ray. Right now, I don’t know how bad he is. It’s not a position (striker) we can lose someone right now.”