The 34th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations kicks off tomorrow in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, with hosts Ivory Coast facing Guinea Bissau.
Injuries cast a shadow over the tournament’s commencement, with several players from different nations sidelined.
A notable setback for the Super Eagles of Nigeria is the injury to Umar Sadiq of Real Sociedad, sidelining him for nearly three weeks and ruling him out of AFCON.
Swiftly responding to the setback, Super Eagles Coach Jose Peseiro has opted to replace Sadiq with Southampton striker Paul Onuachu, currently on loan at Trabzonspor in the Turkish Super Lig.
Onuachu recently showcased his prowess by scoring in Trabzonspor’s match against Samsunspor.
The towering striker boasts an impressive record of 9 goals and 3 assists in 15 games this season and was a key figure in Nigeria’s 2019 AFCON Bronze-winning squad.
Nigeria faces additional challenges with injuries to Taiwo Awoniyi, Wilfred Ndidi, Victor Boniface, and now Umar Sadiq, depriving the team of significant talent.
As they embark on their AFCON journey, the Super Eagles are set to confront Equatorial Guinea in their opening match on Sunday.
