Theremaining flicker of hope on the possibility of seeing injured goalkeeper Austin Ejide return against defending Champions Zambia on Friday in the Eagles second game in Afcon dimmed yesterday.

Technical Officials had confirmed that Ejide had returned and awaits when he would be called upon to man the post for Nigeria.

Ejide himself said that much when he told me that his inclusion was in the hands of the coaches as he had since rejoined his mates in the strenuous trainings that he skipped after injuring himself in a friendly against Cape Verde before the Nations Cup.

But Sports Vanguard scooped yesterday that the goaltender may still have to wait as a scan conducted on the injury was not too pleasant to hand him the goalkeeper's jersey.

A reliable source informed that he was doing well but feared that it would be too early to allow him play so soon.