Updated Nigeria AFCON squad after Osimhen, and three other withdrawals
Olayinka and Onyekuru are named to replace Dennis and Osimhen respectively; Ebuehi and Ajayi to replace Balogun and Shehu
Emmanuel Dennis and Victor Osimhen are set to be replaced by Slavia Prague’s Peter Olayinka and Greece based, Henry Onyekuru. Venezia’s Tyrone Ebuehi and West Bromwich Albion’s Oluwasemilogo Ajayi will replace the injured duo, Abdullahi Shehu, Omonia and Ranger’s Leon Balogun.
The in-form Watford striker and the Napoli star are not the only players who are out of the Nigeria squad. The Nigerian defenders, Leon Balogun, Rangers in Scotland, and Abdullahi Shehu, who plays for Cypriot First Division side Omonia have also withdraw from the Nigeria Squad due to injury. This is yet another blow to Nigeria AFCON success.
The defenders are set to be replaced by Venezia’s Tyrone Ebuehi and West Bromwich Albion’s Oluwasemilogo Ajayi.
Victor Osimhen, and Emmanuel Dennis will be replaced by Slavia Prague’s Peter Olayinka and Henry Onyekuru, Olympiacos, Greece respectively.
Osimhen withdrawal from the squad was due to a positive covid test result in a statement released by the Italian giant on their website.
However, Dennis withdrawal was due to an administrative issue. With these four key players out of the competition, Nigeria chances of wining the Afcon title for the fourth time is dented.
Augustine Eguavoen who has been given a nod to coach the super eagles in Cameroon even after the appointment of a new coach will count on other strikers including the new inclusions, Henry Onyekuru who is yet to register a goal this season and Peter Olayinka who has scored 4 goals so far this season, to make the nation proud in Cameroon.
The absence of first choice defenders Leon Balogun and Abdullahi Shehu means Nigeria will have to rely on the brilliance of Venezia’s Tyrone Ebuehi and Oluwasemilogo Ajayi who has featured for the English championship side, West Brom for 15 games scoring 1 goal.
Eguavoen will hope for no more surprises. Making adjustments like this to a squad can cause a major disruption to the game plan, consequently, affect the team’s performance.
Nigeria are in group D alongside Egypt, Sudan and Guinea Bissau. They will kick-off their Afcon campaign against Egypt on January 11.
Updated Nigeria Squad for Afcon 2021
Goalkeepers: Francis Uzoho (AC Omonia, Cyprus), John Noble (Enyimba FC), Daniel Akpeyi (Kaizer Chiefs, South Africa), Maduka Okoye (Sparta Rotterdam, The Netherlands)
Defenders: Chidozie Awaziem (Alanyaspor FC, Turkey), Kenneth Omeruo (CD Leganes, Spain), Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion, England), William Ekong (Watford FC, England), Olaoluwa Aina (Torino FC, Italy), Jamilu Collins (SC Padeborn 07, Germany), Tyrone Ebuehi (Venezia FC, Italy), Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto, Portugal), Olisa Ndah (Orlando Pirates, South Africa)
Midfielders: Frank Onyeka (Brentford FC, England), Joseph Ayodele-Aribo (Galsgow Rangers, Scotland), Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England), Chidera Ejuke (CSKA Moscow, Russia), Kelechi Nwakali (SD Huesca, Spain)
Forwards: Ahmed Musa (Fatih Karagumruk, Turkey), Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal FC, Spain), Henry Onyekuru (Olympiacos FC, Greece), Moses Simon (FC Nantes, France), Sadiq Umar (UD Almeria, Spain), Taiwo Awoniyi (Union Berlin, Germany), Odion Jude Ighalo (Al-Shabab Riyadh, Saudi Arabia), Alex Iwobi (Everton FC, England), Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City, England), Peter Olayinka (SK Slavia Praha, Czech Republic)
