AFCON 2023: Iwobi tips Super Eagles to excel as Dubai club thrashed 12-0; plays Guinea friendly 8/1
Alex Iwobi believes the Super Eagles have the potential to go far in the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations.
The Fulham midfielder is set to attend his third Africa Cup of Nations, having been part of the Nigeria squad that finished in third place in 2019 and reached the last 16 in the 2021 edition held in Cameroon.
Manager Jose Peseiro has selected twenty-five players on his roster for the tournament in Ivory Coast and everyone is in camp with the exception of Leicester City forward Kelechi Iheanacho who is making good progress in his rehabilitation from injury and is expected to join the team in Lagos this week.
The Super Eagles are holding a training camp in Abu Dhabi, the capital city of the United Arab Emirates, as part of their preparations for the Africa Cup of Nations.
Meanwhile on Sunday, the Eagles thrashed a local club12-0 in a training game at their camp in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates on Sunday.
Atalanta forward Ademola Lookman netted four times, while reigning African Player of The Year, Victor Osimhen and Moses Simon hit a brace each plus one goal each from Sadiq Umar and Ahmed Musa as well as two own goals saw off the comfortable win for Jose Peseiro’s team.
All 24 players in camp except Victor Boniface and goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali played some minutes during the game. The only player not in camp is Kelechi Iheanacho who is said to be in a fitness race for the tournament.
After almost a week of training in Abu Dhabi, the Eagles will however face a mild test against Guinea today Monday at the Bani Yas Stadium.
The friendly will be the only major warm-up game for the Eagles, who were initially billed to play Burkina Faso and Cape Verde before both games were called off.
The friendly will also wrap up Nigeria’s training camp in Dubai as the Eagles are billed to return to Nigeria on Tuesday, January 9, ahead of their departure to Ivory Coast via Lagos on Wednesday, January 10.
Nigeria’s camp opened in the UAE on Tuesday and Guinea is among the six countries camping in the Middle East ahead of the tournament.
Nigeria is seeking a fourth AFCON title, following triumphs in 1980, 1994 and 2013.
The Eagles will take on Equatorial Guinea on January 14 in their first match of Group A, before further clashes with host nation Ivory Coast four days later. Their final group A game is against Guinea Bissau on January 22.
Guinea is also in a tricky group at this year’s AFCON as they will face Cameroon, Gambia and champions Senegal.
Nigeria will open group play at the 2023 AFCON against Equatorial Guinea at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Abidjan (Jan. 14), followed by a meeting with hosts Ivory Coast (Jan. 18) and conclude with a game against Guinea Bissau at the iconic Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium, Abidjan on January 22.
On what Nigerians should expect from the Super Eagles a week before their opener versus Equatorial Guinea, Iwobi remarked: “We’ve seen the ability and quality that we have in the team, from each man that’s in the squad and even the ones that didn’t make the squad there’s a lot of talent in Nigeria.
Iwobi will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of his uncle Austin Jay-Jay Okocha who was an influential member of the Super Eagles team that won the Africa Cup of Nations in 1994.
