New Super Eagles invitee Salim Fago Lawal has sent an early warning to Nigeria’s AFCON 2025 opponents, just two days after breaking into Eric Sékou Chelle’s final 28-man squad for the tournament in Morocco.
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The forward underlined the national team’s confidence in him with a goal for his club, continuing his impressive run of form at club level.
Lawal opened the scoring in the fifth minute of Istra’s league clash against Rijeka, reacting sharply inside the penalty area to hand his side an early advantage. The strike took his tally to five goals for the season.
Istra’s lead, however, was short-lived as Rijeka drew level four minutes later.
The match was eventually interrupted and suspended due to dense fog, bringing proceedings to a premature halt.
Despite the disruption, Lawal’s early finish once again showcased his growing confidence, composure, and sharpness in front of goal.
His recent performances have been instrumental in earning him a maiden call-up to the Super Eagles, marking a major milestone in the 24-year-old’s career.
Lawal is expected to arrive in Egypt within the next 24 hours to link up with the rest of the Nigerian squad as preparations intensify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
The Super Eagles will kick off their build-up with an international friendly against Egypt on Tuesday, a fixture that could offer Lawal the chance to further press his case ahead of the final tournament.
With competition for places expected to be intense, the forward’s timely goal could prove significant as Nigeria fine-tunes its preparations for Africa’s biggest football showpiece.
