AFCON: Ex-Arsenal Star, Adebayor Storms Super Eagles Hotel Ahead Of Ivory Coast Clash

Togolese former professional footballer, Emmanuel Adebayor, has visited the hotel where Nigeria’s national men’s football team, the Super Eagles, are lodged at the ongoing African Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament in Cote d’Ivoire.

Naija News reports that the Nigeria team is scheduled to take on hosts, Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) in a Group A encounter at the Alassanne Quattara Stadium on Thursday (today).

Speaking ahead of the encounter, Adebayor expressed optimism that Napoli star striker Victor Osimhen will make the difference for the Super Eagles against Ivory Coast today.

It could be recalled that the 25-year-old player scored in Nigeria’s 1-1 draw against Equatorial Guinea last Sunday. Though Osimhen was wasteful during the encounter.

Adebayor has, however, backed the Napoli hitman to make the difference for the Super Eagles against the Elephants today.

“I’m here in the Super Eagles hotel to support the team and offer my support to Osimhen.

“He is doing well and is a pride to our continent. We all must rally round him to give him our support,”  the former Tottenham, Real Madrid and Manchester City player reportedly told Daily Post in Abidjan earlier.

Super Eagles Coach Says He Is “Confused” Over Injury Status Of Sadiq Umar

Meanwhile, Super Eagles head coach, Jose Peseiro has admitted that he is “confused” over the injury scandal of Sadiq Umar as the player is set to play for his club, Real Sociedad, days after leaving Nigeria’s AFCON team.

Sadiq Umar was named in Super Eagles’ 25-man squad for the 2023 AFCON which started in Ivory Coast on January 13. However, the team announced his withdrawal from the team over an injury he sustained during a pre-tournament friendly against Guinea on January 9.

The team replaced the striker with Paul Onuachu due to the said injury but less than three days later, Sadiq was seen training at his club’s camp sparking speculations that the Super Eagles doctor made a wrong diagnosis of the player’s injury.

However, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) said in a statement that the team followed due process in confirming Sadiq Umar’s injury, insisting that there was no error in the process.

Hours after the statement on Tuesday, January 16, Real Sociedad announced the squad list for their Copa del Rey match against Osasuna later tonight. They even went as far as using the Nigeria international as the artwork of the squad list, Naija News reports.