Super Eagles of Nigeria defeated Iran national football team in Turkey ahead of the Persians' World Cup participation…
Former Strasbourg forward Simon Zenke has praised the performances of Emmanuel Fernandez and Chibuike Nwaiwu after their debuts in the Super Eagles' win over Iran in Antalya, Soccernet.ng reports.
The veteran pundit believes the emergence of new centre-back options gives head coach Eric Chelle a welcome selection headache going forward.
Goals from Moses Simon in the sixth minute and Akor Adams in the 51st minute sealed the win for Nigeria in the opening fixture of a four-nation invitational tournament, with Mehdi Taremi pulling one back for Iran.
Both Fernandez and Nwaiwu were introduced in the second half and played their part in helping the Super Eagles hold on to the result.
Fernandez and Nwaiwu impress on Super Eagles debut against Iran
Rangers defender Fernandez replaced Semi Ajayi at halftime and delivered a composed display at the heart of Nigeria's defence.
The London-born centre-back won several aerial duels, made key clearances, and formed a steady partnership with Igoh Ogbu before the latter went off injured.
His debut comes amid growing transfer interest, with Arsenal, Chelsea, and Bayern Munich all reportedly tracking the defender, who has scored six goals in 27 appearances for Rangers this season.
Trabzonspor's Nwaiwu, meanwhile, was only called up as a late replacement for the injured Calvin Bassey. He came on in the 57th minute for the injured Ogbu and, despite initially needing time to adjust to the pace of the match, settled in and helped Nigeria see out the win without conceding an equaliser.
The former Enyimba man was so excited about his call-up that he nearly missed his flight to join the squad in Antalya.
Reacting to their performances, Zenke was full of praise.
“I am happy with what I saw in the game against Iran, and the win was very good. I was particularly impressed with the two players – Fernandez and Nwaiwu – who came on as substitutes,” Zenke told Footy-Africa.
Nigeria's centre-back depth now a ‘good problem' for Coach Chelle
Zenke believes the growing pool of quality centre-backs available to Chelle is one of the most positive developments in Nigerian football right now.
With Fernandez, Nwaiwu, Ajayi, Ogbu, and the absent Calvin Bassey all competing for spots, the defensive department looks well-stocked for years to come.
“The reality now is that Nigeria has a variety of options in central defence, and that is a very positive development. The coach now has a real selection dilemma in that area. I have always believed that the more quality players you have, the better. Nigeria now boasts a strong pool of centre-backs to choose from at any time,” he added.
Zenke also revealed that Ogbu's consistent reliability whenever called upon:
“I do not envy the coach. It is a selection problem, but a good one. That department looks settled for many years to come.”
With Ogbu's fitness now uncertain following the injury he sustained against Iran, both Fernandez and Nwaiwu could be in line for even more minutes when the Super Eagles face Jordan on Tuesday, March 31.
