Super Eagles stars Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman will begin Nigeria’s AFCON 2025 third-place match against Egypt on the bench.
Head coach Eric Chelle made five changes to his lineup for Saturday’s playoff in Morocco, also leaving Alex Iwobi among the substitutes as Nigeria prepares for its final game of the tournament.
Paul Onuachu leads the attack, while Moses Simon takes on captaincy duties from the wing. In defence, Igoh Ogbu replaces the suspended Calvin Bassey as the only change at the back.
Samuel Chukwueze, who missed a penalty in Nigeria’s semi-final loss, has been handed a starting role, while Fisayo Dele-Bashiru completes the midfield setup against the Pharaohs.
Nigeria is chasing a record-extending ninth bronze medal at the Africa Cup of Nations, having never lost a third-place match. The Super Eagles already hold the highest number of bronze medals in AFCON history with eight titles, the last coming in Egypt in 2019 when they beat Tunisia 1–0 through an Odion Ighalo goal.
Starting XI:
Nwabali; Ajayi, Ogbu, Onyemaechi, Osayi-Samuel; Dele-Bashiru, Onyedika, Chukwueze, Simon, Adams, Onuachu
The post AFCON: Chelle drops Osimhen, Lookman, starts Chukwueze vs Egypt appeared first on Vanguard News.
