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Injury Scare May Force Top Super Eagles Players from Egypt Friendly
Duro Ikhazuagbe
With the Egyptian FA formally confirming the international friendly between the Pharaohs and the Super Eagles for December 16, there are speculations that the bulk of Nigerian senior national team’s first XI may not be available for the clash.
The match was moved forward by two days due to FIFA’s notice to clubs to release African players selected by their various countries for the 2025 Africa Nations Cup (AFCON) on December 15. The friendly was initially slated for December 14.
However, with Eagles Coach, Eric Chelle, scheduled to release his final 28-man squad before the CAF deadline of Thursday December 11, 2025, most of the top players, it was learnt at the weekend, may not be available for the Egypt friendly.
“The high profile friendly is too close to the December 21 kickoff date of the AFCON 2025. Some of the top players are already complaining that they may not be a available to avoid injuries that may prevent them from going to Morocco for the African football fiesta,” observed a FIFA football agent managing one of the top players to THISDAY at the weekend.
Already, Super Eagles backline has suffered the absence of top defenders who are down with injuries copped during the botched World Cup qualifiers and playoffs. Ola Aina, Benjamin Fredrick and Felix Agu are key players to be missed. The retirement of William Troost-Ekong from international duty for Nigeria last Thursday has further compounded the situation.
Upfront, Nigeria’s talisman, Victor Osimhen, is not 100 per cent fit. His absence from the qualifiers due to injuries, largely, costs Nigeria qualification for the Mundial as Eagles lost most of the matches he was absent and only won those that he played.
When viewed against the backdrop of Super Eagles failing to make the cut to the 2026 World Cup, the AFCON in Morocco is the only chance for the top players to shine and possibly redeem their image. Nigeria is going to miss the World Cup back-to-back, after similarly missing out of Qatar 2022.
Chelle who released a bogus 54-man provisional list barely 20 days to the kickoff of the AFCON, have between today and the next 72 hours to decide his final squad.
It is not yet certain what he is going to make of some of the fresh faces he is believed to be interested in injecting to the team.
According to SCORENigeria sources, “Chelle is planning to freshen his squad with “four, five new players.”
It reported that high on the new additions would be Blackburn Rovers right back Ryan Alebiosu, an Arsenal academy graduate who is flying this season in the English Championship. Injury has ruled Ola Aina from the AFCON, while Bright Osayi-Samuel has struggled for game time at his English Championship club Birmingham City.
The 21-year-old defensive midfielder has found his groove at Pisa on loan from Inter Milan so much so that the promoted club look set to make his loan deal permanent at the end of the Serie A season.
He will get a chance to battle for game time against Wilfred Ndidi, Frank Onyeka and Rapheal Onyedika.
There is also the possibility that Paul Onuachu who is the top scorer in the Turkish Super Lig make get the look in again in the final squad same way he was called up for the AFCON 2023 where Eagles won a silver after losing to hosts Elephants of Côte d’Ivoire in the final match.
