Sunderland AFC international round-up as injury concerns grow for Regis Le Bris
Sunderland AFC international round-up, writes Tom Greaves.
After a week of fear from Sunderland fans due to injuries to key players Dan Ballard and Brian Brobbey, it looks like Sunderland could be struck again with Noah Sadiki limping off in the 75th minute last night for DR Congo.
11 Sunderland players have been called up by their national sides. This has left many Black Cats fans hoping they come out unscathed. Last night Northern Ireland’s Trai Hume covered another 90 minutes in a nil-nil game against Hungary, while Ballard was absent after being sent home following his injury last time out. For Sunderland, the good news was that Hume finished the game without injury. The result saw Northern Ireland sit joint top of their group in the Nations League. Their next game is against Ukraine on October 2nd.
Elsewhere, in match week two for Sunderland’s internationals in the UEFA Nations League, Kevin Danso’s Austrian side came out 3-1 victors against Kosovo, with Danso playing another 90 minutes. Their next game is against Ireland on the 1st October.
Robin Roefs was an unused substitute in the Netherlands’ 2-1 win against Serbia. Malick Fofana was left out of the Belgium squad again against France. He will be hoping to get some minutes when they play Greece on Friday. Wilson Isidor played 90 minutes for Haiti against Costa Rica with his side coming out as 2-0 victors in the CONCACAF Nations League. They play the Dominican Republic this Friday.
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Noah Sadiki’s DR Congo were 2-1 winners against Zimbabwe in the African Cup of Nations Qualifier, Sadiki came off with 15 minutes still to play but reports suggest it was just a precaution. DR Congo play Uganda in a friendly on Friday.
Omar Alderete’s Paraguay won 2-0 against Bolivia in a friendly with the centre half playing 90 minutes. They have another friendly on Saturday where they face Columbia. Nilson Angulo and Juan Riquelme Angulo both face Japan with Ecuador on Thursday with Riquelme Angulo hoping to earn his second cap for the senior side. The internationals won't return back to Wearside until around the 7th October. Sunderland face Brighton on the 10th October.