Football
Colin Udoh, Special to ESPN 5y

Wilfred Ndidi regretting costly yellow card against Libya

Nigeria midfielder Wilfred Ndidi is "really disappointed" at the thought of missing next month's 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against South Africa.

The Leicester City midfielder picked up a booking late in the game against Libya on Tuesday for a petulant reaction to a call. That yellow card automatically rules him out of the fixture on 16 November, a crucial clash for both sides.

A dejected Ndidi told KweséESPN: "I don't really know what I was thinking. I was really, really disappointed because I over reacted.

"I thought I was in the advantage and I got the ball but my reaction was wrong."

Nigeria beat Libya 3-2 to take control of the group and now need just one point from their next two games, including the one in Johannesburg, to book their ticket to Cameroon.

But Nigeria have made it clear that the game is about more than just one point. The qualifier defeat to Bafana in June 2017 still rankles, and the team are determined to make amends with a win in South Africa.

Ndidi added: "I am feeling really, really bad because the South Africa game... I really want it because of the way we lost the first game. 

"It would have been a way to give a comeback. I really don't know what to say but I believe the team will do well."

Striker and leading scorer Odion Ighalo says they expect a difficult game but will be going for all three points: "We know it will not be easy, but everybody wants to play this game because we want to go there and win after they beat us in our home."

Coach Gernot Rohr, who is the only Nigeria coach to lose to South Africa, also told KweséESPN he would be playing for a win: "I believe we can do something in South Africa.

"It will be difficult. You have seen that even Seychelles at home can get a draw. We are leaders in the group, now we have to go to South Africa for a wonderful football match and we will like to win."

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