Nigeria’s Super Eagles will go all out for victory
against Rwanda on Monday, even with leadership of group D and a ticket to the
35th Africa Cup of Nations finals in Morocco secured, says Head
Coach Augustine Eguavoen.
The three-time African champions are determined to
sustain their recent form and spirit ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup
qualifiers that resume in four months, and Coach Augustine Eguavoen believes
the absence of grieving goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali, defender Olaoluwa Aina and
in-form forward Ademola Lookman will not stop their momentum.
First-choice goalkeeper Nwabali has been excused from
camp to visit family and relations following the demise of his father, and
English Premier League side Nottingham Forest begged for wing-back Olaoluwa
Aina to be allowed to fly back to the United Kingdom for a crucial tie, with
Nigeria already qualified for the AFCON.
Rapid-raider Ademola Lookman, with two goals in the
qualifiers like team mate Victor Osimhen, suffered a knock in the front end of
this window’s double-header, against Benin Republic’s Cheetahs in Abidjan on
Thursday, and left camp on Saturday.
The Super Eagles are not unaware of the fact that the
Amavubi are in the same 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying group with them, and
that they (Rwanda) are the next opponents when the World Cup qualifying
campaign resumes in March 2025.
Monday’s encounter will see the return of former
number one safe hands Maduka Okoye, and Bright Osayi-Samuel could start at
right wing-back in the absence of Aina, with Bruno Onyemaechi at left
wing-back, and Captain William Ekong and Calvin Bassey at centre-back.
Wilfred Ndidi, Alex Iwobi, Frank Onyeka, Alhassan
Yusuf Abdullahi, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru and Raphael Onyedika are still the options
in the middle.
Victor Osimhen, whose goal earned the one point in
Abidjan that took Nigeria to the top of the pool, will hope to score against
the Amavubi, having come quite close a number of times when he joined the fray
as a second-half substitute in Kigali in September. He also has the target of
overtaking former captain Olusegun Odegbami on the goals’ tally for Nigeria.
The absence of Lookman means so much will be expected
from fit-fighting and usually-dependable Moses Simon, with Samuel Chukwueze,
Sadiq Umar, Kelechi Iheanacho and Victor Boniface all in the race for slots in
the fore.
PHOTO: Osimhen against Benin Republic’s
Yohan Cedric Roche during Thursday’s match in Abidjan.
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