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53 Sport maltatoday, SUNDAY, 17 NOVEMBER 2013 FOOTBALL Injured Jones misses Germany match THE Football Association has confirmed Phil Jones has been ruled out of England's friendly against Germany due to injury. The centre-back came off in the second half of the 2-0 defeat to Chile on Friday with a groin problem and he has now been sent back to Manchester United. A statement from the FA read: "Phil Jones has been ruled out of England's final match of 2013 against Germany on Tuesday evening. "The Manchester United defender picked up his injury during England's defeat to Chile on Friday evening, and following a scan today (Saturday) he has returned to his club." Jones lasted 57 minutes of Friday's game at Wembley before he was replaced by his Manchester United team-mate Chris Smalling. The versatile player, who won his ninth cap against the South Americans, is the third United player to withdraw from the squad, following injuries to Danny Welbeck and Michael Carrick last week. It is understood that England manager Roy Hodgson will not call up a replacement for the 21year-old former Blackburn player. Given that Hodgson elected to field an experimental line-up against Chile, Jones would have been expected to make way for England's Phil Jones collides with Alexis Sanchez of Chile Phil Jagielka for the match against the Germans anyway. Having picked a 28-man squad to begin with, Hodgson still has plenty of options for the Germany game.. The England boss is hopeful that Tottenham right-back Kyle Walker Nigeria qualify for Brazil will recover from his injury in time for Tuesday night. Steven Gerrard, Daniel Sturridge and Rickie Lambert, who all missed the Chile match through injury, will be assessed when they report back to England's base in Watford on Sunday. Khedira out for six months, could miss World Cup Sami Khedira lies injured during Germany's 1-1 draw in Italy Victor Moses of Nigeria (R) celebrates after scoring NIGERIA became the first African country to qualify for next year's World Cup finals after a 2-0 home win over Ethiopia in their playoff in Calabar yesterday. Victor Moses converted a 20th-minute penalty and Victor Obinna added an 82nd-minute free kick for the second-leg success and a 4-1 aggregate win in the two-legged tie after Nigeria also won in Addis Ababa in last month's first leg. The 2-0 home win in the second leg in Calabar yesterday means the reigning African champions have reached the finals for the fifth time, having played in four of the last five tournaments. Moses tucked the spot kick away in the 20th minute while Obinna provided a rare piece of magic during a dull game, curling home a free kick eight minutes from time soon after coming on as as substitute. Nigeria were runaway favourites to finish the job after winning in Addis Ababa in last month's first leg but they were largely uninspiring. Another four African play-off ties will be decided over the next four days with the next clash later on Saturday between Senegal and the Ivory Coast. REAL Madrid midfielder Sami Khedira will be out for at least six months after suffering a serious knee injury in Germany's 1-1 draw with Italy. Khedira, 26, was substituted during the second half of the international friendly in Milan after landing awkwardly on his right knee. It has since been confirmed that his right anterior cruciate ligament was torn, and that he will undergo surgery before beginning a sixmonth rehabilitation programme. "Sami will have to be treated surgically," Germany team doctor Hans-Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfarth said. "He will need to be operated on but we are hopeful he could be fit in time for the World Cup." Khedira now faces a race against time to be fit for Germany's World Cup campaign in Brazil. Such injuries usually take at least eight months from which to recover, and often a player will not be fully fit for around a year. "This is a bitter setback for Sami. But he always thinks positively and that is why I am optimistic he will be ready and fit when the World Cup starts," coach Joachim Loew said. Germany face England in a friendly at Wembley on Tuesday night, with big-name trio Mesut Ozil, Manuel Neuer and Philipp Lahm all omitted from the squad as Loew seeks to test out his squad. YOUR FIRST CLICK OF THE DAY www.maltatoday.com.mt