Nigeria international and Super Eagles forward Alexander Iwobi could be one of the danger men in the second leg qualifier against Zambia if he makes Nigeria’s starting eleven on Saturday in Uyo.
The Super Eagles players are already in top shape for the must win match as they had a closed door training on Thursday ahead the Saturday game.
Recall that Iwobi and Moses Simon plays the right side of the mid-field and both are currently among the top shape 25-man squad of the Super Eagles for the 2018 World Cup qualifier against the Zambians.
The Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Premier League club Arsenal marked his return to the Gunners with a goal against Brighton this past weekend, and Zambia will be hoping that form does not translate to the Super Eagles. The youngster missed a few matches due to injury in September.
The Chipolopolo still remember that the last time they faced the Arsenal starlet, in October 2016 in an earlier qualifying round in Ndola, the attacking midfielder sizzled imperiously and opened the scoring for his side. His short passing, direct running, and intelligent movement proved too much for the host defenders to handle as the Super Eagles ran out 2-1 winners.
His return now, after missing last month’s two-legged fixture against Cameroon, will leave Chipolopolo cursing their luck and this fixture’s timing. Incidentally, that goal remains his only strike for the Super Eagles in 10 appearances, since making his international debut in a 2-0 defeat against DR Congo friendly in Belgium nearly a year ago.
Iwobi’s partnership with Leicester City forward Kelechi Iheanacho can bring the party home fro Nigeria as both players on and off the pitch have developed this sort of telepathic understanding that defenders get nightmares about.
When they play together, Iwobi is always looking to give-and-go with Iheanacho; his tendency to pinch into the middle complementing the Foxes man’s own inclination to drift out wide on occasion in search of the ball.
Even without Iheanacho, Iwobi not only has the ability to link play with whichever central striker is ahead of him, but also to find gaps in defensive positions and thread excellently-weighted passes through them. Whether he starts or not, Iwobi’s return presents all sorts of trouble for this particular opposition.
With Victor Moses, Moses Simon and Ahmed Musa, the Super Eagles are already spoiled for choice in the wide forward areas. Throwing in the 21-year-old Gunner just makes the competition even stiffer.
With Chelsea’s Moses out injured previously, Gernot Rohr had settled on Iwobi and Simon as his starting wide forwards. But the Chelsea man is a dead cert to start, leaving competition for the other spot down to the other three men.
Whoever gets to start does so knowing he has two more champing at the bit, waiting to come in, and mistakes will be harshly judged.
