Super Eagles head coach Éric Chelle admitted that he is yet to decide his first X1 for 2025 Africa Cup of Nations third-place encounter against Egypt.
Nigeria and Egypt will clash at Mohammed V Stadium, Casablanca on Saturday (today).
The West Africans were in action against hosts Morocco on Wednesday.
The game lasted 120 minutes, with the Atlas Lions prevailing 4-2 on penalities.
Victor Osimhen is doubtful for the game with injury ,while centre-back Calvin Bassey is suspended.
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Chelle said his players are tired from the busy schedule of the competition.
“I spoke about that, just told the truth, you cannot play two games in 48 hours with the same intensity,” Chelle told reporters in Casablanca.
“You have to wait 72 hours, this is not me who says this. It is the doctor and all of these guys who know the body and I think that we were tired (before the Morocco game). So I had two options, maybe take a risk change all of the team and if we lost you will tell me, ‘ahh why you change the team.’
“But my decision, I made the choice, the choice is not good but this is football. Sometimes, you lose some shots.
“For the third place, we have the same problem, same context, the players are tired, played the whole tournament, played 48 hours ago, so I will think only do my choice.
“My philosophy will be, we want to win this game. So will put the best players for this game.”
By Adeboye Amosu
4 Comments
Very likely Chelle will start Chuwkwueze, Dele Bashiru, Ryan A;ebious, Onuachu, and Simon.
I think he will still start Osimhen, but replace Onyedika with Ndidi. Iwobi and Onyeka will likely start too. But he will likely rest Osayi and Akor Adams. Igho will come in for suspended Calvin. Alebiousu for Osayi.
Then he will change things up depending on the result of the match cos his goal is not to start 2nd eleven. He still wants to win, but wants fresh legs to start.
Nwabali (Uzoho may come in later)
Ryan
Ajayi
Igho
Bruno
Onyeka
Ndidi
Dele Bashiru (Iwobi may come in later)
Osimhen (Akor towards the end of the match)
Onuachu (Lookman could come in)
Chukwueze (Simon may come in later)
I very rarely watch Nigeria’s very many Afcon third place playoffs down the years, but this I will be watching, watching with interest and excitement.
The Super Eagles have already over-achieved in this tournament with the fascinating brand of football played, playing all matches undefeated in open play which is truly astonishing.
We complained that the team struggled to keep clean sheets in all 3 group stage matches only for them to clean sheets when it was difficult to do so: in all 3 knockout matches in open play.
This team has done well, simple.
Losing to a team like Morocco carries no shame; it will be like Liverpool losing to Manchester City.
And I think Morocco were a bit negative in that semifinal. The North Africans, the hosts were not ultra defensive, they were ultra cautious. In like the last 10 minutes of the 90, they came out and piled pressure of Nigeria, pressure Nigeria withstood, pressure Nigeria repelled.
Had Morocco played like that all match, there would have been goals and one of the teams would definitely have won in regulation time.
Nigeria might not have had plentiful shots at goal, but Nigeria created plentiful goal scoring chances which Morocco’s defensive infrastructure, one of the strongest defensive infrastructures in world football, repelled.
Anyway, we are here now and now we need to do the business against Egypt. Good luck to the team, again, regardless of the outcome of today’s match, they have done well, very well, very much so!
Who is interested in this match? SMH
Chelle, suggest you give opportunities to othe youngsters in the team. Players like Akinsanmiro, Jago, Nnadi, and Ryan should be considered for this match.
These youngsters should be played in their best position.