In the absence of captain Wilfred Ndidi for tonight’s testy 2025 AFCON semifinal against hosts Morocco, Raphael Onyedika will have to step up for the big occasion.
Onyedika will most likely be the only change in the Super Eagles starting XI tonight following the suspension of Ndidi.
He has already shown what he is capable of doing by scoring twice and posting a 97% passing accuracy in the Super Eagles 3-1 win over Uganda in the group stage of the tournament.
He also came in the injured Ndidi in the 69th minute and the standards did not drop off.
He will now likely be deployed ahead of Brentford ace Frank Onyeka in a midfield trident that also has Alex Iwobi.
This will minimise his defensive frailties and at the same time enhance his attacking threat with his intelligent runs from deep, which are often difficult to track.
His experience of playing regularly in the UEFA Champions League with his Belgian team Club Brugge will also stand him in good stead as he will not be intimidated by the cooker-pressure that will be on offer tonight at the packed Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat.
