The Super Eagles of Nigeria qualified for the 2022 African Cup of Nations which is scheduled to take place in Cameroun after Lesotho and Sierra Leone had finished their own match 0-0.
Nigeria still beat Benin Republic 1-0 on Saturday to top their group. Complete Sports’ Oluyemi Ogunseyin looks at three players whose positions are shaky ahead of the 2022 AFCON proper…
Jamilu Collins (Paderborn, Germany)
Date of birth/Age: Aug 5, 1994 (26)
Caps/Goals: 14/0
A fine defender no doubt, Jamilu Collins will, however, need to do much to displace a certain Zaidu Sanusi of FC Porto of Portugal as the first choice left full-back for Nigeria.
Sanusi on Saturday was unlucky to not contribute an assist just before half-time when his brilliant run and equally perfect cross to Henry Onyekuru was stopped by Saturnin Allagbe in goal for Benin.
Sanusi eventually had a hand in Paul Onuachu’s goal in the third minute of added-on time as his corner-kick was almost converted by Victor Osimhen. It was from the rebound that Onuachu produced a sublime header.
Collins on his own part lacks discipline as he was suspended for Paderborn’s 3-2 Bundesliga 2 loss to Darmstadt at the Benteler-Arena last time out due to the accumulation of yellow cards after being booked five times already this season.
Collins made his 15th Bundesliga 2 appearance of the 2020/21 season for Paderborn which fell 1-0 to Jahn Regensburg in an encounter which was played at the Jahnstadion Regensburg on the 26th of February.
The Super Eagles left full-back was on from the start but did not finish the game after picking up a 39th minute yellow card and was replaced by Svante Ingelsson nine minutes to the end of the tie.
That happened to be the fifth time that the defender would be cautioned so far during the 2020/21 season and he automatically missed out on his club-side’s league game against Darmstadt before the international break.
Collins recently put pen to paper on a new one-year contract with Paderborn which was relegated from the Bundesliga after spending just one season in the German top-flight and playing in the lower division could be detrimental.
Tyronne Ebuehi (FC Twente, The Netherlands)
Date of birth/Age: Dec 16, 1995 (25)
Caps/Goals: 8/0
Tyronne Ebuehi has the likes of Ola Aina and the versatile Chidozie Awaziem to contend with for a permanent or starting X1 shirt in the Nigerian national team under Gernot Rohr.
Ebuehi who is currently playing on loan at FC Twente Enschede in the Dutch Eredivisie from Benfica of Portugal only recently got a recall to the Super Eagles after a long time out with injury.
The right full-back did not, however, get to feature at all when Paul Onuachu scored the only goal of Saturday’s African Cup of Nations qualifier against the Republic of Benin at the Stade Charles de Gaulle in Porto-Novo.
But ahead of the final African Cup of Nations qualifier against Lesotho at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere in Lagos State on Tuesday, Ebuehi has said that it doesn’t matter whether he plays or not.
He has revealed he already sees it as an honor to be with the Super Eagles of Nigeria and that he will always respect coach Rohr’s decision before, during and after matches.
The 24-year-old scored his first Twente goal in a 2-2 draw versus Feyenoord in an Eredivisie match on February 21. He has also contributed one other assist in 26 Dutch top-flight outings.
Abdullahi Shehu (Omonia Nicosa, Cyprus)
Date of birth/Age: Mar 12, 1993 (27)
Caps/Goals: 27/0
Abdullahi Shehu’s game appears to have really stagnated in recent times and despite earning a transfer to Omonia Nicosa of Cyprus in the summer window, his Super Eagles shirt is far from being guaranteed.
He has been showing his versatility in recent times with the natural right full-back having been moved into the midfield position at his Cypriot First Division side, Omonia whom he joined from Turkish club, Bursaspor FC.
Shehu only before the international break played his 24th Cypriot First Division game for Omonia which defeated AEK Larnaca by a lone goal at the Neo GSP. The versatile player has been booked three times.
But despite playing regularly for his club-side, Omonia so far during the 2020/21 season, he did not play when Paul Onuachu scored the only goal of Saturday’s African Cup of Nations qualifier against the Republic of Benin at the Stade Charles de Gaulle.
And ahead of Tuesday’s dead-rubber affair between Nigeria and Lesotho at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, in Lagos and even the 2022 AFCON proper, Shehu has the likes of Ola Aina, Tyronne Ebuehi and Chidozie Awaziem to battle for a starting shirt.
By Oluyemi Ogunseyin