Nigerian defender Leon Balogun has made his return from a long term injury. Balogun was given 45 minutes of action as Queens Park Rangers B defeated Birmingham City 2-0 in a Professional Development League fixture on Monday March 27.
QPR head coach Gareth Ainsworth sent the central defender to the B team to improve his match fitness with a view to a possible return to the first team after the current international break.
Balogun returns after close to four months on the treatment table with a calf injury. His last game was against Huddersfield on November 8, 2022.
QPR boss Gareth Ainsworth was in attendance at the the Powerday Stadium [London] for the game and had first hand information on Balogun and two other first team players Chris Willock and Ethan Laird, who were also marking their returning from injury.
Ivo Rossi was sent on at halftime for Nigeria`s Leon Balogun. Queens Park Rangers won 2-0 vs Birmingham City courtesy of goals from Hamzad Kargbo and Elijah Dixon-Bonner.
With his return, QPR manager Ainsworth will have an experienced guard to shore up a struggling defence and help the Hoops arrest the slide down the log.
LEON BALOGUN MAKES INJURY RETURN
Before his injury, the Super Eagle had 12 QPR appearances to his name, scoring one goal. The injury has kept him out of at least 19-games for his club plus two international windows for Nigeria.
Same day Balogun made his return from injury, his national teammates were battling Guinea-Bissau in a 2023 AFCON qualification clash at the Estadio 24 de September. The Super Eagles limped to a 0-1 win over the Group A Wild Dogs.
Queens Park Rangers are currently placed 19th on the log and will face Wigan Athletic in the English Championship this weekend.
Manager Ainsworth will make a decision whether to name the former Glasgow Rangers man in his rooster on 1st April or wait till the game vs Preston on April 7, to hand Balogun his first team comeback.
