Afcon 2023: Super Eagles want to top group, Osimhen eye goals, Chukwueze wants fans support, Orban debut delayed

The Super Eagles play Sao Tome & Principe on Sunday at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium with the team aiming to top their group.

For Victor Osimhen and Samuel Chukwueze, their aims differ. Osimhen is looking to add to his goal tally while Chukwueze wants to win fans back.

Elsewhere, the much-anticipated debut of Gift Orban may be on another day due to a little knock he suffered in training on Friday.

In their earlier encounter, Super Eagles cruised to an emphatic 10-0 victory in last year’s.

 They will be aiming for a repeat of the same in front of their home supporters.

Nigeria confirmed their spot in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations on June 18 when they scraped a 3-2 victory over a resilient Sierra Leone side at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex.

The Super Eagles are one of 18 sides to have already booked their spot in Ivory Coast as they lead the way in Group A with a seven-point cushion over third-placed Sierra Leone heading into the final group game.

Apart from the team topping their group, Osimhen will be aiming to score as many goals as possible so that he can equal Obafemi Martins's goal record or surpass it.

Currently, the joint sixth top scorer alongside Sunday Oyarekhua and Samson Siasia, Osimhen’s 16th and 17th goals helped him to overtake the like Odion Ighalo and Ahmed Musa, who both have 16 goals each for the national team.

The 24-year-old highly sought-after Nigerian striker still needs one more goal to break the record of 18 goals set by Martins.

For Chukwueze, a win over Sao Tome will make fans fall in love with the Super Eagles again.

Speaking during a media parley in Uyo, the AC Milan winger revealed that the relationship among the players in camp has been awesome as every member of the team has been aggressive in training.

 “It’s always an amazing feeling to be in the Eagles team. The atmosphere in camp is great and every player is ready for the game. It is the first time in a while that “I’m seeing players fight in training. It’s a great feeling.

On the game, the AC Milan winger said, “We plan to win the game which is very important that we win the game even if we have qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations.

“I can’t remember the last time we won a game at home in Nigeria. A win will draw our fans closer to the team as we prepare for the World Cup qualifiers in November.”

Meanwhile, Orban debut for the Eagles may be delayed due to injury.

Orban missed the team’s last training session on Saturday. The 21-year-old sustained an injury in the Super Eagles’ training session on Friday. The Gent striker watched from the sidelines as his teammates slugged it out on the pitch ahead of the game.