Libya are reported to be celebrating that Victor Osimhen is out of the upcoming 2025 AFCON double-header against the Super Eagles, but Victor Boniface and Ademola Lookman proved this past week they have the class to shoot down the North Africans even in the absence of the Galatasaray star striker.
5.Adeshina Ayodele
The Beyond Limits Academy star scored for the second UEFA Youth League tie for Lille. His goal proved to be the winning goal against the Real Madrid U19s. At only 18, he is most certainly one young striker to watch in the coming years. He is a growing boy, energetic with good technique and knows his way to goal, little wonder his French club handed him a long-term contract. His early entry to Europe will fast track his development at a club who showcased the likes of Victor Osimhen and Rafael Leao to the bigger leagues.
4.Chuba Akpom
He was one of the Super Subs as Ajax rallied to beat Gronigen 3-1 at home in the Dutch top league. The former Arsenal forward came off the bench late on to hit target in stoppage time for Ajax to record a home win. This was the second goal in the league for the 28-year-old striker who has pledged his international future to the Super Eagles. Ajax are now fifth in the standings with 13 points from six matches.
3.Raphael Onyedika
The Super Eagles midfielder is on the form of his life with Belgian champions Club Brugge and this was again evident in the UEFA Champions League win at Austrian champions Sturm Graz. The Club Brugge Player of the Month for September delivered a measured assist for Club Brugge to score the only goal of the tie. This victory was a positive response after the 3-0 humiliation they suffered at home in their opening Champions League game to Borussia Dortmund. Even in that loss, Onyedika was the best player on the park.
2.Ademola Lookman
The 2024 Ballon d’Or nominee scored his first goal in the Champions League and also provided an assist for Atalanta BC to post a 3-0 win at Shakhtar Donetsk. He was the official Man of the Match and followed that up with an assist in his team’s spanking of Genoa in the Serie A. ‘Mola’ has continued to shine for both club and country and Super Eagles fans will be counting on him for more of the same in the 2025 AFCON double-header against Libya beginning later this week.
1.Victor Boniface
After he scored his first UEFA Champions League, which proved to be the winner against AC Milan, ‘Boni’ scored again in the Bundesliga in a 2-2 draw with Kiel. He has now scored six goals in all competitions this new season and it is not a surprise that some of Europe’s top clubs like Juventus and Manchester United are tracking him very closely. Expectations are now very high that he will score the first of many goals for the Super Eagles against Libya in the AFCON qualifiers. He has the confidence and hopefully he will get the much-needed support from the rest of the team to get among the goals against the North Africans.
