Super Eagles head coach, Jose Peseiro, expressed confidence in the strength of his squad for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), despite the absence of key players due to injuries.
Peseiro acknowledged the unfortunate unavailability of Wilfred Ndidi, Victor Boniface, and Umar Sadiq but emphasized the quality of replacements drafted into the team.
During a press conference in Abidjan on Saturday, January 13, 2024 Peseiro said, “It’s unfortunate that those players can’t be here with us; they all want to play but they can’t because of injury.
” The good thing is that we have the players to replace them.”
He pointed out that the replacements, including Alhassan Yusuf, Terem Moffi, and Paul Onuachu, have profiles similar to the injured players, ensuring continuity in the team’s composition.
He added “It’s not much of a problem for us because we have picked players with the same profile.
“Onuachu is similar to Sadiq, Moffi and Boniface are not different, same thing with Ndidi and Alhassan.
“These players have different characters, but in terms of profiles they are not different,” Peseiro said.
Peseiro assured that the squad still possesses the necessary depth and quality to compete with any team in Cote d’Ivoire, where the AFCON tournament is taking place.
Despite the setbacks, the coach remains optimistic about the team’s prospects as they prepare for their opening match against Equatorial Guinea at the Alassanne Quattara Stadium on Sunday, January 14, 2024 by 3pm.
IHEANACHO, ONUACHU ARRIVE
Ahead of Sunday’s game, Leicester City forward, Kelechi Iheanacho and Trabzonspor man Paul Onuachu have arrived in Cote d’Ivoire to join their Super Eagles teammates.
Peseiro did not give update if any of them will make the matchday squad vs Equatorial Guinea.
OGC Nice striker Terem Moffi will hit camp on Sunday, only then will Nigeria have a complete 25-man squad for the 34th Africa Cup of Nations tournament.
