Tag: Jose Peseiro

By Daniel Edu

Jose Peseiro, the former head coach of the Super Eagles, has voiced his belief that the absence of Victor Boniface significantly impacted Nigeria’s quest for the 2023 AFCON title.

Boniface, initially included in Peseiro’s final squad for the 2023 AFCON held in Ivory Coast from January 13 to February 11, suffered an unfortunate injury to his ankle just days before the tournament began. This sidelined the 23-year-old Bayer Leverkusen striker, who has remained out of action since January 2024.

Peseiro revealed that the team had planned to deploy a two-man attack strategy for the tournament, but Boniface’s absence forced them to primarily utilize a 4-3-3 formation throughout the competition.

Despite securing a second-place finish in Group A without any defeats and reaching the final, where they ultimately lost 2-1 to hosts Ivory Coast, the Super Eagles struggled to capitalize on scoring opportunities during the tournament. Peseiro attributed this difficulty to the absence of Boniface, suggesting that his presence could have made a decisive impact.

Speaking to AfricafootUnited in an interview, Peseiro, whose contract with the NFF expired on February 29, expressed his confidence in Boniface’s abilities, highlighting his versatility and proficiency in the team’s preferred attacking style.

Peseiro lamented the limited options available to refine their gameplay in Boniface’s absence, emphasizing the striker’s potential to serve as a pivotal element in the team’s tactical setup.

It is anticipated that Victor Boniface will make his return to the pitch in April this year after a three-month hiatus due to injury.

Ahmed Musa, the captain of the Super Eagles of Nigeria, has been conspicuously absent from the national team for the second time in a row. This absence comes as the Nigeria Football Federation released its team list on October 2, 2023.

Musa was previously left out of the squad for the final phase of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers against Sao Tome and Principe due to fitness concerns. Although he has since recovered, it was expected that coach Jose Peseiro would include him in the squad for the upcoming friendly matches against Saudi Arabia and Mozambique on October 13 and 16, respectively. However, the 30-year-old forward was once again omitted.

Ahmed Musa has traditionally been a regular presence in the national team, whether or not he was playing consistently for his club side. It appears that the current management of the team may be departing from this tradition.

One significant factor contributing to Musa’s omission from the national team this month is his lack of regular playing time for his Turkish club, Sivasspor. In Sivasspor’s recent three matches, Musa has only played for a total of nine minutes as a substitute. In the most recent Turkish League game against Ankaragücü, Musa remained on the bench as his team lost 3-1 on matchday five.

Musa’s limited playing time raises questions about his role in the national team, despite being just 30 years old. He has already made significant contributions to the Super Eagles, with 16 goals in 108 appearances, making him the player with the most caps for the team.

Notably, Ahmed Musa achieved several milestones during his international career, including being the first Nigerian player to score more than once in the FIFA World Cup (two goals against Argentina in 2014). He also became the first Nigerian to score in two different World Cup editions (2014 and 2018).

However, his last goal for the Super Eagles was in the 2-0 victory against Liberia in the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers on November 13, 2021.

Considering his current form and the emergence of vibrant young talents in the Super Eagles squad, it raises questions about whether Ahmed Musa’s international career may be coming to a close as he focuses on his club career.