Nigeria’s Super Eagles have begun their race to securing a ticket for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations—Morocco 2025—fairly well with a win and a draw in their two opening games against Benin Republic and Rwanda, respectively.
As Nigeria gears up for October’s double-header against the Mediterranean Knights of Libya, it is important that the most in-form players are called up to the Super Eagles team so as to provide the team with the opponent to claim all available points and move closer to securing qualification for next year’s AFCON.
The three-time African champions under the tutelage of interim manager Augustine Eguavoen dominated their first two games in Group D, with over 50 percent possession in both games as well as an average pass completion rate of 82%.
The Super Eagles in both games managed 33 shots at goal, but only 14 were on target, which resulted in the three goals across the two games. The lack of clinical finishing has been a recent constant reoccurrence for the Nigerian team, who have managed only seven goals in their last six matches in all competitions, including playing out a goalless draw in their last match against Rwanda.
With an abundance of goal scoring options, the Super Eagles should not be having problems finding the back of the net, and this issue, however, could be mitigated by the introduction of Genk forward Tolu Arokodare, West Bromwich Albion striker Josh Maja, and Remo Stars’ marauding fullback Sodiq Ismail, as the trio have been in great form for their respective teams since the beginning of the 2024-25 football season.
𝐒𝐢𝐱 goals and counting for Genk’s Tolu Arokodare this season.
The Nigerian striker is on fire 🔥⚽ pic.twitter.com/yTjCJl0bOZ
— Soar Super Eagles (@SSE_NGA) September 23, 2024
Arokodare is the joint-leading scorer in the Belgian Pro League with six goals in nine matches this campaign. The 23-year-old awaits his Super Eagles debut, and his athleticism, pace, and goal-scoring prowess can be helpful in helping the team break down stubborn defences as he is renowned for stretching the opposition’s rearguard and opening spaces for his teammates.
Maja, on the other hand, leads the Championship in goal scoring with seven goals in seven games for league leaders West Brom. Although the 25-year-old has already donned the Nigerian colours once, having come on as a last-minute substitute in a friendly against Ukraine in 2019, he has not gotten the opportunity to return to the team.
With some of the regular forwards currently misfiring as well as finding playing time in their respective clubs hard to come by, Maja’s aerial ability and lethal form in front of goal could be vital to the Super Eagles.
GOAL!!!
Josh Maja scores again for West Brom.
He takes his tally to 7 goals in 7 matches this season 🇳🇬 pic.twitter.com/F5PzYdNkc6
— 49th. (@the49thstreet) September 28, 2024
Meanwhile, of the current Super Eagles setup, only captain William Troost-Ekong poses a constant offensive threat to the opposition’s defence. However, with Ismail, that could change, as the Remo Stars man is known for his constant movement down the flank as an attack-minded fullback.
His crosses from the flanks have provided many goals for his club side as he led the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) with 13 assists last season, and adding his recent knack for scoring goals, it could be vital to have the 21-year-old as an option especially in games like the Rwanda one where accurate crosses were an issue for Eguavoen’s team.
WHAT A FINISH❗️
The master of providing assists becomes the master of receiving them.
Prior to Matchday 38 of #NPFL24, Sodiq Ismail had never scored an NPFL goal. Now, he’s scored 4 in his last 6 appearances in all major competitions for Remo Stars FC.#NPFL25 pic.twitter.com/XVf8PKWNah
— NPFL News 🇳🇬 (@NPFL_News) September 24, 2024
Eguavoen would do well to call on these four players to provide the Super Eagles with additional quality, as Nigeria cannot afford to underperform as Libya would definitely be looking to snatch available points and help their case in the group.
Nigeria will welcome the Mediterranean Knights to the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo on Friday, October 11, before heading to the Martyrs of Benina Stadium for the reverse fixture on Tuesday, October 15.
