Super Eagles interim coach Augustine Eguavoen has revealed his reason for snubbing Rangers and Genk forwards, Cyriel Dessers and Tolu Arokodare, from Nigeria’s 23-man squad to face Libya in their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers this month.
Dessers, 29, has been in good form in Scotland with seven goals and three assists in 13 matches in all competitions this season, while 23-year-old Arokodare has six goals in 10 matches in the Belgian Pro League.
Dessers, who has played six times for Nigeria, has not received a call up since March this year, while Arokodare is still expecting his first call to join the Super Eagles.
Eguavoen, who led Nigeria in their opening two games in the AFCON 2025 qualifiers, failed to call on either of the two strikers despite injury to leading frontman Victor Osimhen as well as lack of playing time for some others in their clubs.
The former Nigeria international has come under some scrutiny with many Nigerians requesting for his reason for snubbing the duo and inviting Sevilla forward Kelechi Iheanacho, who has found hit hard to hit top form this season, having failed to either score or provide an assist in five La Liga matches this season.
“I decided to include Kelechi Iheanacho of Sevilla when it became clear Victor Osimhen would not be fit in time,” Eguavoen said.
“I looked at both Cyriel Dessers and Tolu Arokodare, but opted for Kelechi this time because he is the more experienced striker.”
It is clear the reason Eguavoen went for Iheanacho as the former Leicester City man has netted 15 goals in 54 caps.
