Spartak Moscow panic over Nigeria star - AFCON 2013 Highest Goal Scorer

Emmanuel Emenike’s hamstring injury has triggered panic at his Russian Premier League club Spartak Moscow.

The Super Eagles forward picked up the injury at the South Africa 2013  Africa Cup of Nations won by Nigeria, after their 1-0 defeat of Burkina Faso in the final on February 10. Emenike, who scored four goals to emerge as the top scorer of the championship, missed the final due to the injury.

The Russian season resumes next month after  a three-month winter break and  Spartak have confirmed that their Nigerian scoring machine will miss a number of matches.

The player will also miss Nigeria’s World Cup qualifying game against Kenya in Calabar in March.

A worried coach Valery Karpin told the club’s website during the week that he  would be forced  to use 21-year-old Ghanaian forward Majeed Waris, who joined  from Swedish side Hacken in November after he emerged as the highest goal scorer  in the Swedish league last season.

“Of course, if we don’t have Emenike and Movsisyan, then there are no other options,” Karpin was quoted as saying.

“Judging by preliminary information (diagnosis), I can say that Emenike will ninety-nine  per cent miss the first spring league matches. Maybe more.”

Meanwhile, Emenike has promised to reproduce  the form that made him win the  South Africa 2013 Golden Boot award  when he returns to action.

“I’m happy that I won the tournament in South Africa with  my national team. For me, this victory is very important, but you need to keep moving,”  the former  Fenerbahce star  said on the club’s  website.

“I really missed my teammates and I’m looking forward to the beginning of the final chunk of the Russian championship, where I hope to display form just as good as at the Africa Cup of Nations.”