Onazi during the 2013 Orange Africa Cup of Nations final match between Nigeria and Burkina Faso
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has slammed a two-match ban on Super Eagles’ midfielder Ogenyi Onazi over his sending-off in Saturday’s 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Chad.
The SS Lazio playmaker, who has been a regular in the team’s midfield in the past few years, was shown a straight red card for retaliation.
He committed the act after Nigerien referee Ibrahim Mamane awarded Nigeria a penalty kick for a foul on striker Odion Ighalo.
A report on the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) website on Wednesday said news of the ban was conveyed to the federation in a circular sent to it from CAF secretariat.
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The development means the Italy-based player is automatically suspended for his next two official matches.
They are: Tanzania versus Nigeria, and Nigeria versus Egypt.
Nigeria will visit Tanzania in Dar es Salaam on September 5 on Match Day 2 of the qualifiers, and will then host Egypt on March 25, 2016.
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Onazi was a silver medal winner when Nigeria hosted the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2009.
He also won gold medal with the Super Eagles at the 2013 AFCON in South Africa and was also in the Nigeria squad which reached the round of 16 at the FIFA World Cup finals in Brazil last year.
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