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Paul Onuachu has been called- up as replacement for Moses Simon by Nigeria for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying fixtures against Benin Republic and Lesotho, reports Completesports.com.
Gernot Rohr’s side will come up against the Squiirels at the Stade Charles de Gaulle, Porto-Novo on Saturday, March 27 before facing the Crocodiles three days later at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos.
Onuachu initiallly made the standby list of seven players despite his impressive form in the Belgian Pro League for KRC Genk this season.
Read Also: 2021 AFCON Qualifiers: Rohr Explains Onuachu Snub For Benin, Lesotho Games
The 26-year-old has so far scored 27 goals and provided two assists in 30 appearances across all competitions for the Smurfs.
Simon has been ruled out of the game following COVID restriction protocols with players coming from France.
“Following the uncertainty regarding the availability of players based in France [due to COVID 19 laws guiding the country], Super Eagles Coach Gernot Rohr has extended an invitation to KRC Genk striker Paul Onuachu. Henry Onyekuru was earlier called up to replace injured Samuel Kalu,”reads a tweet on the NFF Twitter handle.
By Adeboye Amosu
24 Comments
Onuachu may have been selected just in case any of the other strikers fail to make it.
Nothing spoil, Las las Moses Simon will still be on the plane to Afcon, he has his own unique skill set that is valuable to the SE.
As for Paul!!! I don’t understand oh cos na him go drag with Umar for a limited game time and Umar has yet to be given a chance on SE.. Which I believe this qualifiers he definitely will play
# REPLACEMENT SAGA #
STRIKER 4 STRIKER
WINGER 4 WINGER
**NOT STRIKER 4 WINGER**
Assuming u Invite EJUKE(winger) on standby in initial list, he would have b a better replacement 4 Moses Simon(winger).
ONUACHU(striker) cannot play more than d way he has played before. National team football is different from club football.
Oga ROHR don’t b carried away.
**DON’T U know MARIO JADEL(Brazil) OF sporting Lisbon***
Ejuke that is struggling in Russia? Ejuke has huge potential but he has to find his feet for club first before we now start talking about another call up…..he’s form in Holland helped get a national call up now its time to work hard in Russia no be to dey run up and down.
so ejuke dey run up and down re u serious in what u re saying do u know that ejuke is far better than kalu and moses combined together russia league has bein out of stream for some time i didnt see any reason y such will nt mak the list to be honest wth u
Oh they were wise, they would have use this opportunity and give ROHR and SE fans a rethink….
So many of the regulars will definitely miss this qualifiers which give room for those in standby list to steal the show….
Onuachu would never have gotten a call up but for Simon’s travel ban imposed by his club. What a shame and what’s place of merit in the system for a player who’s scored more goals than any Nigerian player in Europe in the current season, after completing similar feat at Denmark.
I think that Paul still deserves invitation notwithstanding his lack of goals at the international level. Genot Rohr will need to fashion a tactic that will work to his strength.
Why Brazilian coach didn’t fashion tactics that will sult for MARIO JADEL who is always top scorer every season during his time.
# REPLACEMENT SAGA #
We will see how u with do ur replacement if one of your three Goalkeepers get injury b4 competition proper. I KNOW FOR SURE U WI USE A MIDFIELDER TO REPLACE HIM.
****OGA ROHR I CAN’T LAUGH OO***
If am Paul i will just turn it down, so sadit has to come t this, how can his mentality be 100% looking at Henry from Turkey called before him, and some others. They shouldn’t be doing this, it doesn’t give a player confidence.
I wish he would turn it down!
Paul is not good enough period. Belgium league is weak hence all the best Belgian players play in the top 5 leagues in other European countries. You people are deluded. if Belgian league was so good the whole Belium squad won’t be playing in other leagues. Look at Italy, Spain and England even France (has some players from their league namely PSG Lyon and Marseille and Monaco even Lille). so please all this clamouring for Onuachu must stop he plays against weak defenders hence he scores goals.
The hit don too much for Rohr and NFF
I know that after extending call for Henry, Paul Onuachu is next
There was a certain fool here yesterday who said Nigeria won’t be affected.
I think CSN should curtail the manner in which most of it’s users on this forum rain insults and bullying of other users, I mean it’s getting out of hand and this needs to be addressed swiftly. Express your opinion and move on, not everybody must agree with your point of view.
And own goal just reported now that Iwobi, Iheanacho, Ndidi, Aina, Ajayi, Collins, Osimhen and possibly Ekong might not make it too due to a mandatory 7 days quarantine period imposed by Europe on returnee from Africa. Trouble dey o
This is not funny again o.
8 extra players again. All England and france based players.
If these reports are true (with 9 days to go) then the coach of the Super Eagles has a big job to do. He will have to rely on alot of unknowns in Europe and in naija league. It will be fun to see how all those bench warmers for the Super Eagles respond to being starters and how the home based eagles respond to playing in the team for the first time. I believe that the worst case scenario will be a draw in benin which is all we need. But I cant wait to see a super eagles lineup with starters such as olayinka, moffi/sadiq, onyekuru in attack. Midfield might be an issue but if we can get aribo, etebo and probably shehu we will be ok. In defence leon, ebuehi, awaziem and sanusi, unless there are more withdrawals then we call on some more home based players. Anyone can be in goal, including the new boy Nobel.
Starting lineup could look like this:
OKOYE/UZOHO
EBUEHI. AWAZIEM. LEON. SANUSI
SHEHU
ETEBO. ARIBO.
CHUKWUEZE. OLAYINKA
(HENRY)
UMAR.S
At least Ahmed musa no get restriction lol
At Least musa no get restriction lol
You’ve been given another chance to prove yourself. If like go in there and be jumping around like a lost grasshopper, that one na your biz and for those sorry folks who have been crying for his invitation, here u go. Food is ready. We shall all sit tight and see what he’d give us that very day but must understand that some players are not just national team materials just as we have training materials who shine in training and friendly matches and get lost during real match situations.
I think we might end up fielding a second string side or CAF should postpone this qualifiers in line with UEFA.
This is where coach rohr can prove his worth. Your star players are unavailable, what cha gonna do, Throw your hands up and give up? Noooo. Its time to put on your thinking cap and focus on how your going to win and qualify with whatever players that’s available to you. It will be fun to watch.
Omo9ja must you criticize everything about rohr. It shows you are a bad critic. What have you seen about onuachu in SE. Maybe he needs to take lessons from aghahowa, kalu, oshimen, aghali, amokachi etc. Players who came in and took their chances immediately. You see Nigeria is not togo or benin where players have all the years to take their chances.
You talk about changing tactics. For who? Is onuachu a Ronaldo. Rohr has other options so it’s not necessary to change tactics. Look at ihenacho against Tunisia. One single chance and look at that finish. Great finish. Had he been he scored the penalty, the match would have been his. You see you don’t criticize just for the sake of criticizing. Omo9ja you need to look at all factors before you begin to comment.