Super Eagles star admits he is not 100% fit ahead of Nigeria’s AFCON qualifiers

Tolu Arokodare scored two minutes after coming off the bench for Ajax against Excelsior, but the Super Eagles striker admitted afterwards that he is still not fully recovered from the illness that kept him out earlier in the week, Soccernet.ng reports.

The 25-year-old came on in the 62nd minute at the Johan Cruijff ArenA on Saturday, replacing Kasper Dolberg after Excelsior had taken a 2-1 lead through Aymen Sliti.

Arokodare needed only two minutes to make an impact. The Nigerian connected with a pass from Oscar Gloukh inside the six-yard box and finished to bring Ajax level at 2-2 in the 64th minute.

It was his sixth goal in nine appearances in all competitions since joining Ajax on a season-long loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Ajax dominated possession with 80.8% of the ball and had 33 attempts, but could not find a winner and had to settle for a point.

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Arokodare's appearance was particularly important because he had missed Ajax's previous match, a 5-1 win over Willem II, after suffering from a severe fever during the week.

That illness also explains why Ajax coach Míchel Sánchez did not start him against Excelsior, despite his strong scoring record.

Arokodare revealed that he was still struggling physically when he entered the match.

“You could see after five or six minutes that I was hunched over because I was tired. I needed this match to realize that I am not yet 100 percent fit. I still feel weak,” he said as per AjaxLife.

“I haven't recovered as much as I thought. I wanted to start, but I don't think I could have. We had a tactical training session in the morning and my legs were weak. I was dead after five or six minutes into the match.”

The admission comes at an important time for Nigeria, with the Super Eagles preparing for their opening two 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches.

Arokodare faces key role as Super Eagles prepare for AFCON qualifiers

Super Eagles coach Éric Chelle selected Arokodare in his 24-man squad for the matches against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau. Nigeria will host Madagascar at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo on Friday, September 25, before travelling to face Guinea-Bissau on Tuesday, September 29.

The striker's fitness has become more important because Victor Osimhen, initially named in the squad, is unavailable after suffering a right adductor injury for Galatasaray on September 4.

That leaves Arokodare, Taiwo Awoniyi and Akor Adams among the forwards competing for responsibility in the centre of Nigeria's attack.

Arokodare's recall also comes after a strong start to his Ajax loan. He has scored six goals and provided two assists in nine appearances across all competitions, giving him eight goal contributions in his opening nine games.

The call-up represents his return to the Super Eagles after he was left out of Nigeria's previous two international windows and the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. His last appearance for the national team came against DR Congo in November 2025.

However, Arokodare's immediate priority is to regain full fitness. He was pleased that he could contribute against Excelsior despite starting on the bench.

“I am happy that I was able to come on, though. Hopefully, I will recover fully during the international break,” he said.

That recovery will be closely watched as Chelle prepares Nigeria for two competitive matches in four days.