Nigeria’s quest for a fourth Africa Cup of Nations title has suffered an early blow following injury concerns surrounding Cyriel Dessers and debutant Ryan Alebiosu.
Alebiosu, who made his Super Eagles debut against Uganda, put in an impressive performance for the full 90 minutes as Nigeria claimed a 3–1 victory over the Cranes. The Blackburn Rovers defender stepped in for Bright Osayi-Samuel and showed maturity beyond his experience. However, his night ended on a worrying note after he sustained a deep cut to his leg and was taken to hospital for treatment.
His availability for Nigeria’s Round of 16 clash against Mozambique remains uncertain, leaving head coach Eric Chelle with a selection headache ahead of the knockout stage.
Dessers is also a major concern for the Super Eagles. The Panathinaikos forward is currently nursing a thigh injury and is set to undergo a scan to assess the extent of the problem and determine whether he can continue in the tournament.
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Speaking after the match, Chelle praised Alebiosu’s performance but admitted concern over his condition.
“This is his first game in Africa, in AFCON, and I’m happy with what he did,” the coach said. “But I’m a little worried because he has an injury. His leg is open, and he had to go to the hospital.”
Despite the setbacks, Chelle remains cautiously optimistic, noting that he still has several options available as Nigeria pushes forward in the competition.
