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Afcon Qualifiers Preview: Super Eagles Strikers



This is the last in a 4-part series

in which Afrofooty previews Super Eagles players ahead of this month's Afcon qualifier double against Sierra Leone.

Strikers


Ahmed Musa (Al Nassr, Saudi Arabia): 2 goals at the 2014 world cup was only matched by 2 goals at the 2018 world cup for Ahmed Musa to race his name (quite literally) into the record books as Nigeria’s highest goal scorer at the world cup to date.


Now based in Saudi Arabia, I hear that Musa is finding goals hard to come by in the oil rich Middle Eastern league these days.


That being the case, it remains to be seen how long Musa will have to rely on past glory to earn future Super Eagles invitations.


Alexander Iwobi (Everton FC, England): So long as Iwobi maintains his hunger, drive and determination for Nigeria, I for one will always be satisfied.


His stats for Everton this season have been wretched, but, the journey has only just started. As the saying goes: ‘it is not how you start a race, but how you finish that will be remembered.’ With time, Iwobi might come good in Everton.



Victor Osimhen (Lille OSC, France): There were worries in some corners that OsiHmen might be slow in filling the mammoth (scoring) shoes left behind by Ighalo.


Those fears proved misplaced as the Franc-based goals-getter has hit the ground running for both club and country.


The only thing remaining now is for Osihmen to score goals in the real crucial encounters which will cement his reputation as a big-game-player. And, I have no doubt he will always come good.


Moses Simon (FC Nantes, France): the former Gent wing wizard is something of an enigma. Just when he seemed to be spent as a credible winger, Simon goes on to reinvent himself in France in such a manner that he is difficult – in fact – impossible to ignore.


Gone are those delicious stopovers and convincing dribbles. These days, he plays with greater awareness and vision so that, whilst he has moved 5 steps backwards, he has made strides in areas that have added maturity to his all round play.


Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal FC, Spain): Many had expected the Villareal man to have made exponential improvements to his all round play owing to the blistering season he had last term.


But, the young man is still developing. As things stands, Chukwueze remains one of the most exciting young Nigerian players out there at the moment. He can only get better.



Cyril Dessers (Heracles Almelo, The Netherlands): For all his goal scoring exploits in Holland, it remains to be seen how Cyriel Dessers will adjust to the rigours of African football.


The striker seems keen; I think he is the keenest dual nationality to want to ply for Nigeria. That is good to see. If all that exuberance can be channelled to his performances on the pitch, we will be in for a ride!


Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City, England): The Leicester man is determined. Whenever he sees Nigeria play, something tells me that Iheanacho sees himself and himself only as the one to be banging in the goals for Nigeria.


Against Zambia (away) in a World Cup qualifier, Iheanacho raced into the zambian defence, after a pass from Ideye, made a fool of the defenders and goalkeeper before burying the chance with relative ease.


The Leicester man wants that etched in our minds as to what he can (still) do if given the chance to reclaim his shirt.


Samuel Kalu (Girondins Bordeaux, France): It now seems clear that in the eyes of Rohr, Kalu can do no wrong. Although he has been absent over a period of time, Kalu came back recently and – by all indications – performed well in those matches.


On his day, Kalu remains one of Super Eagles most ruthless wingers.



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