The Super Eagles have had their wings clipped of late – eliminated in a playoff for a place at the Qatar World Cup by rivals Ghana and falling at this very stage at the 2021 AFCON.
Nigeria had won all three of their group games, including a win over Salah’s Egypt, but Alex Iwobi’s sending-off against Tunisia in the round of 16 was costly, as the side slipped to a 1-0 defeat.
Nigeria’s squad arguably boasts the most depth of all the teams at the tournament and only three AFCON titles will pain Africa’s largest nation, despite the presence of an Olympic gold medal in their trophy cabinet.
Iwobi, formerly of Arsenal and Everton, is joined in the squad by Fulham teammate, Calvin Bassey – the full-back was named player of the match in the Premier League win against Arsenal on December 31.
The loss to injury of Wilfred Ndidi from the midfielder cannot be overstated. The fact they can turn to yet another European top-flight club to call up a replacement in Royal Antwerp’s Alhassan Yusuf could soften the blow.
It’s in attack where Nigeria are expected to light up the tournament with Victor Osimhen in particular.
The striker was Serie A’s leading scorer last season as he led Napoli to their first league title since Diego Maradona became the darling of Naples in 1990.
The recently crowned African Footballer of the Year can be joined up front by anyone of of Leicester City’s Kelechi Iheanacho, AC Milan’s Samuel Chukwueze, Atalanta’s Ademola Lookman and Bayer Leverkusen’s Victor Boniface. The latter is fourth on the list of leading scorers in the Bundesliga helping his team to the top of the table.
Read more: Which teams are the favourites to win CAF Africa Cup of Nations?
2024-01-27 20:02:39
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