Iheanacho will play when needed – Peseiro

By Daily Sports Nigeria on January 29, 2024

Super Eagles coach Jose Peseiro has opened up on the situation of Leicester City forward Kelechi Iheanacho, who is yet to feature for the team at the ongoing 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

Iheanacho was again an unused substitute in Nigeria’s 2-0 win over Cameroon in the round of 16 on Saturday at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium in Abidjan.

Despite being doubtful for the tournament with a muscle injury, Peseiro didn’t replace the 27-year-old in his final 25-man list and allowed him to join the team in Ivory Coast on Saturday January 13, a day before their first match against Equatorial Guinea. The player had missed the team’s camp in Abu Dhabi as a result of his recovery in England.

Iheanacho has, however, declared himself 100 per cent fit and ready to play at the tournament, but he is yet to make any appearance as the team continue their quest for a fourth AFCON title.

“I know his (Kelechi Iheanacho) value and capabilities. I don’t like speaking about this kind of situation, because other players didn’t play also like Kelechi. He arrived here without practice, without the collective practice,” Peseiro said via Making of Champions.

“Leicester called him, and then put him here, without (him joining for) collective practice. If I needed to score, then it’s possible he would have come in, I needed to protect my goal. But not him alone, Ahmed Musa has not played, Aribo started the last match, but did not start against Cameroon,” the Portuguese coach added.

Iheanacho is one of the most-experienced players in the Super Eagles team with 47 appearances and 13 goals since making his debut in November 2015 under coach Sunday Oliseh.

However, he is at his second AFCON tournament after debuting at the event in 2022 in Cameroon. He was dropped by coach Genort Rohr in the final 23-man list for the 2019 edition in Egypt.

Nigeria are three times champions of the AFCON in 1980, 1994 and 2013 with hopes of winning a fourth title in Ivory Coast.

Nigeria faces Angola in the quarter-final of the ongoing tournament at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium in Abidjan on Friday at 6 p.m. Nigerian time.

Source Punch Ng

Posted January 29, 2024


 

You may also like...
Leicester Power Into Second Place, Fulham Earn First...

Aubameyang Apologises After Benfica Result

Nyirenda named Zambia coach ahead Nigeria clash

Super Falcons draw shocking - Mbachu

Sublime Serena to face Kerber in her 10th...

Kaduna stadium, fans wow NFF, Super Eagles

 

Latest News Nigeria beat Cameroon to reach IHF final 27 schools for Doregos Basketball Championship Super Falcons to play France’s Les Bleues in friendly SWAN suspends ban on coverage of Anambra FA activities Joshua among boxing’s top three earners in 2024 Oshoala makes history with Bay FC Nnamani hails team over IHF bright start Flamingos lift U-17 W’Cup Fair Play Trophy Rangers Intl, SWAN partner on sports collaboration in SE LAGOS SWAN CELEBRATES AIG ZONE 2 ON HIS BIRTHDAY AND 30 DAYS IN OFFICE Traders Cup: Upholstery Soccer Team Secured 2nd Win To Advance To Round Two Lagos SWAN Celebrates Oba Akiolu, Iyaloja General, AIG Fayoade

 

Most Read Rangers International going, going . . . (55,142 views) Amaju Pinnick: A cat with nine lives (46,269 views) Second Term: Amaju Pinnick, Other NFF Heavyweights Home to Roost •How Pinnick Broke the Jinx (44,350 views) Missing $150,000 IAAF Grant: Solomon Dalung’s Hide and Seek game (43,992 views) Sports Development: Zenith Bank on the zenith (43,932 views) Current issues in Nigerian sports: Matters arising (43,879 views) Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje’s solid footprints, commitment to sports development in Kano State (43,718 views) NFF Presidency: Pinnick, Maigari, Ogunjobi, Okoye in Battle for Supremacy (43,289 views) Olopade, BET9A wave of revolution in NNL (42,333 views) Commonwealth Games 2018: Shame of Muhammadu Buhari, Solomon Dalung (41,036 views) Ibrahimovic’s Man U exit: Whose decision is it? And in whose interest? (39,489 views) John Mikel Obi: Segun Odegbami’s Outrageous Call! (38,916 views)

 

Phone numbers

Tel: +234(0)8066020976
+234(0)8055068145
+234(0)7013416146
+234(0)8094272884

Email addresses

info@dailysportsng.com
support@dailysportsng.com
publisher@dailysportsng.com

Office address

No 3, Adetoun Close, Off College Road, Ogba, Ikeja Lagos.
Website: www.dailysportsng.com

Social Media