If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
Barring any last-minute injuries, Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle ought to maintain the starting XI that dismantled Tunisia 3-2 in their second 2025 AFCON Group C clash.
As he has promised, the team will improve with each passing game because they now have enough time to take in his instructions as well as continue to gel as a unit.
The coach admitted before the NFF technical committee that one of his biggest challenges during the 2026 World Cup qualifiers was getting enough time to train the team.
In the meantime, the critics say Nigeria do not play as a team.
This has been the case for as long as I can remember as the Super Eagles have often had to rely on individual brilliance to get the job done.
That may well explain why Nigeria are underachievers at the AFCON with only three titles when they ought to have won far more going by the incredible potentials in this football-mad country of 250 million coaches.
The Super Eagles laboured to a 2-1 win over Tanzania in their opening Group C, but they certainly improved as a team when they faced Tunisia in their second game.
Eric Chelle himself has promised an improved performance in their final group game against bottom team Uganda tomorrow.
The Super Eagles may already have punched their ticket to the knockout rounds of Morocco 2025, but they remain a work in progress as they approach the business end of the tournament.
It is therefore only reasonable that Eric Chelle starts his best team against the Cranes of Uganda and not venture into parading an experimental side.
Calls for some of the fresh call-ups to be thrown into the fray have missed the mark because no team has the luxury of time for experiments in the middle of an unforgiven tournament like the AFCON.
So, despite the unwarranted knocks on goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali, he should keep his place between the sticks.
The defence appears to be the weakest link in the team, which unfortunately was not the case last year in Cote d’Ivoire.
The fullbacks have been far from convincing, but Bruno Onyemaechi was an upgrade on Zaidu Sanusi, who was lost against Tanzania, while Bright Osayi-Samuel will remain a wiser gamble than Ryan Alebiosu, who has shone in the English Championship with Blackburn Rovers this season.
If a chance presented itself for the former Arsenal Academy star to be brought on, it should be taken. Otherwise, Osayi-Samuel remains the safer bet for now.
Hard-running Frank Onyeka stabilised the Eagles midfield with his first start against Tunisia and so he keeps his place as well.
In attack, Jerome Akor has done everything right but score a goal to justify his starting place against both Tanzania and Tunisia.
He is the best striker on the squad in Morocco to compliment Victor Osimhen with his unselfish play and powerful, surging runs.
So, the Super Eagles start as they did against Tunisia, beat Uganda to further lift the confidence and get fully prepared for their Round of 16 clash against third-placed losers from Group A, B or F on January 5 in Fes.
Super Eagles Starting XI vs Uganda: Nwabali – Onyemaechi, Osayi-Samuel, Ajayi, Bassey – Ndidi (Captain), Onyeka, Iwobi – Ademola Lookman, Osimhen, Akor
