Former Super Eagles winger Victor Moses has been stranded in Dubai after rising tensions linked to the Iran conflict disrupted air travel across parts of the Middle East, delaying his arrival at FC Kaisar.
The Kazakhstan Premier League side confirmed that Moses and fellow Nigerian forward Imoh Ezekiel both missed the club’s season-opening match against FK Zhenys on March 8 due to the travel difficulties.
Moses had been preparing to return to Kazakhstan to link up with his new teammates when reports emerged that a rocket landed near an airport in the region, leading to the closure of surrounding airspace and the suspension of several flights, including those heading toward Kazakhstan. The disruption left the former Chelsea winger unable to depart Dubai ahead of the new campaign.
Head coach of FC Kaisar, Andrey Ferapontov, said the club was closely monitoring the situation while awaiting the arrival of the two Nigerian players.
“We’re expecting two more foreign players. You’re probably familiar with the situation with Moses and Ezekiel,” Ferapontov said. “For various reasons, they couldn’t make it to the championship. Moses can’t fly out of Dubai due to the political situation. We’re waiting for him. When they rejoin, we’ll have a full squad and a clearer idea of their fitness.”
Moses joined FC Kaisar in January on a one-year contract after leaving Luton Town, adding another stop to a professional career that has spanned more than a decade across Europe.
The 35-year-old began his career at Crystal Palace before moving to Wigan Athletic and later signing for Chelsea in 2012, where he won the Premier League title during the 2016/17 season. He also had loan spells with Liverpool, Stoke City and West Ham United, while also playing abroad for Fenerbahçe, Inter Milan and Spartak Moscow.
At international level, Moses earned 38 caps for Nigeria between 2012 and 2018, scoring 12 goals and playing a key role in the country’s victory at the Africa Cup of Nations 2013.
Ezekiel, who was part of Nigeria’s squad that won bronze at the 2016 Summer Olympics, is also expected to join FC Kaisar after leaving KF Pogradeci.
The club, based in Kyzylorda, hopes the arrival of the experienced Nigerian players will strengthen the squad once travel conditions stabilise.
