Former Nigeria international defender Efe Ambrose says head coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Eric Chelle will have to bench one of either Ademola Lookman or Victor Osimhen for his team to do well at the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Morocco, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

The duo are the team’s talisman in attack with Lookman displacing Osimhen as the Africa Player of the year, before the recent coronation of Moroccan defender Achraf Hakimi in Morocco two weeks ago.

Ambrose who won the AFCON with Nigeria in 2013 said he saw enough at the world cup qualifiers playoff to suggest that the duo can’t work together in attack, pointing to the 4-0 win over Benin Republic in Uyo as another case in study where the team scored four goals with Lookman missing and Osimhen grabbed a hattrick in the game.

” It’s a case of balance and when you have two players who are looking to be in the box at the same time, it leaves the team unbalanced and also uncoordinated in attack. Lookman and Osimhen are like Vinicius Jnr and Kylian Mbappe at Real Madrid”, he said.

” None of them wants to drop deep for the other to be in the box. Look at the world cup qualifiers playoff and also see how the team were fluent in attack without Lookman against Benin Republic. Osimhen even scored a hattrick in that game”, he stated.

Head coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Eric Chelle took a bold decision with the inclusion of Viktoria Plzen of Czech Republic forward Rafiu Durosinmi in his 28 man list for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Morocco, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

The decision to include the 22 year old came after the world cup qualifiers playoff, where Chelle was left unimpressed with the contribution of Jerome Akor and Tolu Arokodare with Victor Osimhen going off injured in the first half against Dr Congo.

Chelle went in search of a forward with pace and also a proven record of scoring goals. That was where Durosinmi came in as recommended by a scout who have been tracking the forward for a while.

Quick, strong, skilful and deadly in the box, Chelle wasted no time in settling for the forward despite receiving other recommendations from his scouting team.

Two years ago, Durosinmi had everything sorted out to join German Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt but suffered a serious knee injury that kept him out for a year and also claimed the deal.

His story played a large role in Chelle’s decision to give him a serious look especially his goal return since making his way back to full fitness this season.

This season he has found the back of the net 12 times in 22 games. A run that includes two goals in five games in Europa League. Six in the Czech League , two in UEFA Champions League qualifiers and two in the Czech Cup.

It is expected that he will move up as the backup option to Osimhen at the tournament, with his debut likely to come in the friendly game against Egypt on the 16th of December.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

The senior national team of Nigeria will experiment with a new back four at the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Morocco, OwnGoalNigeria.com can exclusively reveal.

Head coach Eric Chelle will go into the tournament without the services of his captain William Troost-Ekong who announced his retirement from international football last week.

They will also be without Ola Aina who is currently out injured and also new kid on the block Benjamin Fredrick won’t be at the tournament after picking up a knock that will sideline him for two months.

Barring a late minute change of mind or injury, Chelle will use a back a four of Calvin Bassey and Semi Ajayi at centre back with the duo of Ryan Alebiosu and Zaidu Sanusi operating as right and left full back respectively.

Chidozie Awaziem will remain as the backup option on the bench despite his fine season in France with Nantes. Igho Ogbu of Slavia Prague will be the team’s fourth choice at the back.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

Head coach of Italian Serie A side Pisa Alberto Gilardino has confirmed that midfielder Ebenezer Akinsamiro will be with the senior national team of Nigeria at the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Akinsamiro who is enjoying a breakthrough season at the club where he is on loan from fellow Italian Serie A side Inter Milan, recently returned from a shoulder injury that cost him a spot in the Super Eagles team for the world cup qualifiers playoff in Morocco.

Yesterday he marked his return to full fitness with a 45 minutes appearance in their 0-1 loss to Parma. Once again he gave a good impression of himself and Gilardino is already lamenting his forced absence due to the AFCON.

“After Lecce, he’ll miss several matches,” said Alberto Gilardino, literally confirming that Akinsamiro will be a part of the Super Eagles squad for the tournament which begins on the 21st of December.

Yet to be capped by Nigeria, but head coach Eric Chelle sees the former Remo Stars prospect as one player who will bring a whole different dimension to the middle of the team at the tournament.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

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Head coach of South Africa Premier Soccer League (PSL) side Chippa United Vusumuzi Vilakazi says first choice goalkeeper of the senior national team of Nigeria Stanley Nwabali will likely miss the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.

Nwabali has been the first choice goalkeeper of the Nigerian team since the last AFCON, where they finished second after losing 1-2 to host Cote d’Ivoire in the final.

The coach said the 29 year old has been battling with an ankle injury, and also a hand injury lately and will require some time to be fit and ready for a tournament like the AFCON.

“I doubt it, looking at the state of his injury,” Vilakazi told SuperSport.com. “I don’t think he will make it, but when I was talking to him, he was confident that he will recover very soon. Obviously, as a player, he wants to be there at the Cup of Nations finals. But the reality is that he is still injured. I also hope for the best that he might find himself there.

He said there is a tendency that Nwabali will undergo surgery after aggravating the injury while in goal for Nigeria at the world cup qualifiers playoff in Morocco. “He’s been playing with that hand for a while and aggravated the injury while he was in Morocco,” the coach added.

The squad of the senior national team of Nigeria for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco have been submitted to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) by head coach Eric Chelle, OwnGoalNigeria.com can exclusively reveal.

Chelle picked 28 players from his 54 man preliminary list of players made public last week, with notable exclusions like Nathan Tella of Bayer Leverkusen, Kelechi Iheanacho of Celtic, Uche Chrisantus of Crystal Palace, Tolu Arokodare of Wolverhampton Wanderers and Victor Boniface of Werder Bremen.

Three new players in Blackburn Rovers defender Ryan Alebiosu, Pisa of Italy defender Ebenezer Akinsamiro and Viktoria Plzen of Czech Republic forward Rafiu Durosinmi.

Below is the 28 man list for the tournament.

Goalkeepers: Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United,

South Africa); Amas Obasogie (Singida Blackstars, Tanzania); Maduka Okoya (Udinese FC, Italy);

Defenders: Calvin Bassey (Fulham FC, England); Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (Hull City, England); Bright Osayi-Samuel (Birmingham City, England); Bruno Onyemaechi (Olympiakos, Greece); Chidozie Awaziem (Nantes FC, France); Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto, Portugal); Igoh Ogbu (Slavia Prague, Czech Republic); Ryan Alebiosu (Blackburn Rovers, England);

Midfielders: Alex Iwobi (Fulham FC, England); Frank Onyeka (Brentford FC, England); Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi (New England Revolution, USA); Wilfred Ndidi (Besiktas FC, Turkey); Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium); Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (SS Lazio, Italy); Ebenezer Akinsanmiro (Pisa SC, Italy);

Forwards: Ademola Lookman (Atalanta BC, Italy); Samuel Chukwueze (Fulham FC, England); Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray FC, Turkey); Simon Moses (Paris FC, France); Chidera Ejuke (Sevilla FC, Spain); Akor Adams (Sevilla FC, Spain); Terem Moffi (OGC Nice, France); Rafiu Durosinmi (Viktoria Plzen, Czech Republic); Cyriel Dessers ( Panathinaikos).

Head coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Eric Chelle has picked his final 28 man list for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco, OwnGoalNigeria.com can exclusively reveal.

The coach already submitted the list to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) who are expected to make it public in the coming days , with the team set to depart for Egypt for a friendly game on the 16th of December.

Sources close to the coach say these are the players picked for the tournament with just three new players picked in the final 28 man list.

Below is the 28 man list for the tournament.

Goalkeepers: Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United,

South Africa); Amas Obasogie (Singida Blackstars, Tanzania); Maduka Okoya (Udinese FC, Italy);

Defenders: Calvin Bassey (Fulham FC, England); Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (Hull City, England); Bright Osayi-Samuel (Birmingham City, England); Bruno Onyemaechi (Olympiakos, Greece); Chidozie Awaziem (Nantes FC, France); Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto, Portugal); Igoh Ogbu (Slavia Prague, Czech Republic); Ryan Alebiosu (Blackburn Rovers, England);

Midfielders: Alex Iwobi (Fulham FC, England); Frank Onyeka (Brentford FC, England); Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi (New England Revolution, USA); Wilfred Ndidi (Besiktas FC, Turkey); Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium); Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (SS Lazio, Italy); Ebenezer Akinsanmiro (Pisa SC, Italy);

Forwards: Ademola Lookman (Atalanta BC, Italy); Samuel Chukwueze (Fulham FC, England); Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray FC, Turkey); Simon Moses (Paris FC, France); Chidera Ejuke (Sevilla FC, Spain); Akor Adams (Sevilla FC, Spain); Terem Moffi (OGC Nice, France); Rafiu Durosinmi (Viktoria Plzen, Czech Republic); Cyriel Dessers ( Panathinaikos).

There are strong indication that Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Tolu Arokodare won’t be in the Super Eagles squad for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Morocco, OwnGoalNigeria.com can exclusively reveal.

Tolu who has been relegated to third choice behind first choice striker Victor Osimhen and Jerome Akor who is now the deputy to the Galatasaray forward.

Head coach Eric Chelle increased his options in attack in his 54 man preliminary list by handing a recall to Trabzonspor of Turkey forward Paul Onuachu and Rafiu Durosinmi of Czech Republic side Viktoria Plzen.

The inclusion of the duo has cast a huge doubt over the inclusion of Arokodare who has struggled for regular game time since his move to the English Premier League side.

Chelle was said to be unimpressed with his performance at the world cup qualifiers playoff and feels the lack of game time has made him rusty, unlike when he first burst onto the scene while in Belgium.