The stage is set for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON, in Cote d’Ivoire, and the Super Eagles of Nigeria are ready to soar. Two of their key forwards, Kelechi Iheanacho and Terem Moffi, are expected to join the rest of the squad this weekend, just in time for their opening match against Equatorial Guinea on Monday.
Iheanacho, will arrive on Saturday a day before the tournament kicks off. Moffi, who was a surprise call-up after Victor Boniface pulled out with a groin injury, will land on Sunday. The Lorient striker has been a revelation in the French Ligue 1, netting 12 times in 19 games.
However, the Super Eagles will have to cope without Real Sociedad forward Sadiq Umar, who has been ruled out of the tournament due to a knee injury. Umar, who has scored 10 goals in 18 matches for the Spanish club this term, sustained the injury during Nigeria’s warm-up friendly with Guinea in Abu Dhabi last week. He will be sidelined for at least three weeks, according to Super Eagles Media officer, Babafemi Raji.
Raji also confirmed that both Iheanacho and Moffi were not part of the team’s second training session in Abidjan on Thursday, as they were still en route to Cote d’Ivoire. Umar, who is still in Abidjan, did not train with the rest of the squad either, as he jogged alone on the sidelines while coach Peseiro and his crew worked with the remaining 22 of the final 25 men.
The Super Eagles have already lost Leicester midfielder, Wilfred Ndidi, who was replaced by Antwerp’s Alhassan Yusuf, due to a hamstring injury. Ndidi, who is widely regarded as one of the best defensive midfielders in the world, will be a huge miss for Nigeria, as they aim to win their fourth AFCON title.
The Super Eagles are in Group A, alongside hosts Cote d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, and Guinea-Bissau. They will face Equatorial Guinea on Monday, Jan. 15, at the Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny in Abidjan, before taking on Guinea-Bissau on Thursday, Jan. 18, at the same venue. Their final group game will be against Cote d’Ivoire on Sunday, Jan. 21, at the Stade de Yamoussoukro.
The Super Eagles have a rich history in the AFCON, having won the trophy in 1980, 1994, and 2013. They also finished as runners-up in 1984, 1988, 1990, and 2000. Their last appearance in the tournament was in 2019, when they finished third in Egypt.
The Super Eagles coach, Peseiro also shared his optimism about the team’s prospects. He said: “We have a good mix of experience and youth, of talent and hard work. We have prepared well, and we have a clear vision of how we want to play. We respect all our opponents, but we are not afraid of anyone.”
