Izuchukwu OkosiSuper Eagles head coach, Jose Peseiro, has called up Paul Onuachu as replacement for the injured Real Sociedad striker Sadiq Umar ahead of the team’s first match of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire against Equatorial Guinea on Sunday afternoon.
The Nigerian team has been hit by a spate of injuries to key players – Wilfred Ndidi, Victor Boniface and Sadiq – with Kelechi Iheanacho not deemed completely fit at least for the first game.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThe languid Onuachu has scored an impressive nine goals for Trabzonspor in 15 Turkish Lig 1 games.
Sadiq copped the injury in the friendly against Guinea and was left to watch training sessions from the bench at the Ecole de Police, Abidjan, on Thursday.
The choice of Onuachu over other forwards in the provisional squad had divided opinions with some believing that the duo of Nathan Tella and Cyreil Dessers would have fared better than the beanpole striker who has not featured in any game under Peseiro.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
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