Ex-Ghana attacker Augustine Arhinful has tipped Nigeria as one of the leading contenders to win the 2021 AFCON title.
Nigeria topped Group D with 9 points after winning all their group games. The Super Eagles defeated Egypt 1-0, before beating Sudan 3-1 on matchday 2 – a game in which Simon scored his first AFCON goal before breezing past Guinea-Bissau 2-0 on Wednesday evening.
Augustine Eguavoen, the Nigeria head coach, benched FC Porto star Sanusi Zaidu, Simon Moses, Taiwo Awoniyi, Samuel Chukwueze as well as other top stars. But, the three-time winners still managed to brush aside West African minnows 2-0 at the Stade Omnisport Roumdé Adjia in Garoua.
After watching the cross-border neighbours excel at the group stages of the competition, Arhinful has settled on Nigeria as a contender for the title.
“I think they’ve been contenders since day one. Against Egypt, they were so tactical. The depth in their squad is so interesting. They have Musa and the likes on the bench. The likes of Simon did a very great job. And, the coach has been involved in the game,” he told Kwabena Yeboah on GTV Sports+.
Moses Simon, 26, has won a couple of the Most Valuable Player of the Match awards at the tournament with his recent showing being his substitute appearance against Guinea-Bissau.
The Nantes star climbed off the bench in the second-half to replace CSKA Moscow forward Chidera Ejuke as the Super Eagles completed their 100 percent run in the group.
