The Super Eagles of Nigeria has been seeded in the same group with Africa Cup of Nations host, Cote d'Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, and Guinea-Bissau
The head coach of the Equatorial Guinea national team, Juan Micha, has disclosed that his squad is currently grappling with an injury crisis similar to that of the Nigerian national team, as reported by Soccernet.ng.
Acknowledging the stature of the Super Eagles of Nigeria as a formidable team, Micha expressed confidence in their ability to field suitable replacements for the players absent from their Group A opening tie against Nigeria.
Notable Nigerian players such as Victor Boniface, Wilfred Ndidi, and Sadiq Umar withdrew from the 25-man squad just days before the AFCON tournament, prompting concerns within the Nigerian football community about their quest for the Africa Cup of Nations trophy.
Answering questions asked by Soccernet.ng ahead of the clash against the Super Eagles, the 48-year-old coach emphasised the strength of both teams, noting that while Nigeria is a significant force, Equatorial Guinea is also aware of its potential.
“We also have key players missing from our team. I know Nigeria is a big team. But if there are players missing, I feel there are replacements as well. So, this is not an issue for them. We are aware of their potential and Nigeria's potential, and we also have our potential. There are key players who did not make it to Abidjan,” he stated.
With Nigeria holding a historical advantage in their previous encounters, securing three wins, Micha anticipates a challenging match tomorrow.
He remarked: “A very complicated match tomorrow. And we will be playing against one of the best teams in Africa.”
The upcoming showdown between Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea is scheduled for a 2 p.m. GMT kick-off on Sunday, January 14, 2024, at Alassane Ouattara Stadium.
In further games, i will like to see the coach use this formation and players in his starting lineup if all are fit and able:
UZOHO
. OSAYI. SEMI. EKONG. BASSEY
IWOBI. FRANK
. ARIBO. KELECHI LOOKMAN
. OSIMHEN
ITs similar to my lineup for tomorrows game but with iwobi playing deep in the midfield. Aribo will drop in the middle of the midfield to provide support and kelechi will link with osimhen and lookman who will be the main attacking threat.. Both osayi and Calvin are to overlap at will and deliver crosses into their opponents area while frank and iwobi provide cover for them. If Aribo cant meet up the demand of this formation then iwobi should take his spot and Raphael or alhassan will replace iwobi in the midfield pivot.
chukwueze, Simon, onuachu, aina, and zaidu or Bruno can come in in the second half.