Al-Shabab striker Odion Ighalo will not represent Nigeria at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations after his Saudi Arabian club refused to release him.
Super Eagles coach Austin Eguavoen has revealed he considered Nasarawa United striker Silas Nwankwo and ex-Golden Eaglets star Akinkunmi Amoo as replacements for Odion, but the team cannot call up a replacement due to FIFA rules.
“We wanted to call up Silas Nwankwo from Nasarawa United because it’s a striker for striker replacement. He is a good player no doubt.
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“And also Akinwunmi Amoo but he’s not a striker. Then again he can play off a striker. We thought of replacing Al-Shabab striker with either of them but CAF insisted that we can’t because the change isn’t injury-enforced,” Eguavoen told the media on Thursday.
Silas Nwankwo was a standout performer in the NPFL last season. He scored 19 league goals which earned him the NPFL golden boot. He was also voted as the league’s best player for the 2020/21 season.
Amoo was a revelation for Hammarby IF in the Swedish Allsvenskan last year. The mercurial midfielder set the league alight with his dribbling and playmaking skills, notching up 9 goals and 5 assists in the process.
A practice match was played today with the Super Eagles defeating Coton Sport by 2 goals to 0.
The Super Eagles will begin their AFCON campaign with a clash against Mohamed Salah’s Egypt on Tuesday.
