SCORENigeria has learnt the main reason that coach Ladan Bosso has so far picked rookie striker Salim Fago Lawal to start ahead of Bulgaria-based Emmanuel Umeh at the U20 World Cup in Argentina.
A team official told SCORENigeria that the coach believes Umeh is an impact sub, who could be introduced to change the course of a game, while Fago cannot do so.
“The coach said if it is not going well for Fago, Umeh can come in and change things, but it may not be so the other way round,” the official reported.
Fago, who featured for his club at the recent Viareggio tournament in Italy, has led the Flying Eagles attack for the first two matches against the Dominican Republic and Italy.
His biggest asset is his runs and positioning, but he does not score many goals.
The more direct-playing centre-forward Umeh has come in for those two games after he scored in the two warm-up matches in Argentina before the World Cup.
Both strikers could play at the same time as was shown against Italy when Umeh replaced the out-of-sorts Ibrahim Mohammed ‘Beji’ and he then combined beautifully with the young Mavlon FC striker for the opening goal Wednesday night.
