Nigeria’s Bayer Leverkusen striker, Victor Boniface, has confirmed his absence from the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations due to a groin injury sustained during training.
The 23-year-old missed the final warm-up friendly against Guinea and is expected to be sidelined for up to six weeks, making him unavailable for the tournament. As the top scorer for Bundesliga leaders Leverkusen with 10 goals in 16 league games this season, his absence is a significant blow for the national team.
This injury compounds Nigeria’s challenges, with midfielder Wilfred Ndidi already withdrawn due to an injury suffered in late December. Additionally, Kelechi Iheanacho, another Leicester City player, is facing fitness concerns, though there’s optimism for his participation in the tournament.
Nice striker Terem Moffi has been called up to replace Boniface – he has been a consistent performer for the French side in recent years and will be looking to compete for a starting spot alongside talisman Victor Osimhen.
Fortunately for manager Jose Peseiro, Nigeria are well stacked at the top of the pitch. Samu Chukwueze will be eyeing up a spot on the right wing and will be a dangerous option for The Super Eagles if he is selected.
Atalanta’s Ademola Lookman and Nantes’ Moses Simon will likely compete for a spot on the left wing – both players have pace to burn and can cause problems for defences on any given day.
Alternatively, Peseiro can look at dangerman Boniface’s absence as an opportunity to bring a more conservative option into his midfield and deploy Fulham’s Alex Iwobi on the wing. Nigeria have struggled in recent months defensively and are missing experience in midfield due to Ndidi’s injury, so may opt to select an extra body in front of the defence as a precaution.
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