Ryan Fiyinfoluwa Alebiosu and Igoh Ogbu were handed their first senior international caps on Tuesday as Super Eagles head coach Eric Sékou Chelle shuffled his starting XI for Nigeria’s Group C encounter with Uganda at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
With qualification for the Round of 16 already secured, Chelle opted for rotation, striking a balance between experience and opportunity as Nigeria pushed to end the group stage on a high.
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Young right-back Alebiosu earned a surprise start to mark his Super Eagles debut, while central defender Ogbu finally got his long-awaited chance, lining up at the heart of defence. Several regulars were rested, including captain Wilfred Ndidi, who began the game on the bench.
Victor Osimhen kept his place in the side and was handed the captain’s armband, leading the line for the Eagles. The Napoli striker was supported in attack by Samuel Chukwueze, Ademola Lookman and Moses Simon, providing pace and creativity in the final third.
In midfield, Raphael Onyedika was given his first start of the tournament, anchoring the team as Chelle continued to assess his options ahead of the knockout rounds.
Nigeria lined up in Chelle’s preferred 4-3-3 formation, with Francis Uzoho between the posts and a defensive unit featuring Bruno Onyemaechi, Bright Osayi-Samuel, Ogbu and Alebiosu.
The clash with the Cranes of Uganda offered fringe players a valuable chance to impress, as the Super Eagles chased group supremacy and sought to build squad depth for the latter stages of the competition.
Nigeria entered the match determined to preserve their unbeaten run, maintain momentum, and fine-tune their approach as AFCON 2025 heads toward its decisive phase.
Nigeria Starting XI:
Francis Uzoho (GK)
Igoh Ogbu
Calvin Chinedu Bassey
Ryan Fiyinfoluwa Alebiosu
Sopuruchukwu Bruno Onyemaechi
Raphael Onyedika Nwadike
Oluwafisayo Faruq Dele-Bashiru
Samuel Chukwueze
Moses Simon
Ebere Paul Onuachu
Victor Osimhen (C)
