AFCON
Super Eagles Players Bafana Plan to Cage
As the hour to the crunchy Nigeria-South African clash draw nearer, Sports Village Square has gathered that a South African publication, Times Media Digit has marked out five Super Eagles players that Stuart Baxter and his wards must pay special attention to.
The South Africans understand the desperation of Nigeria after missing out in the last two editions of the Africa Cup of Nations.
They note that the Super Eagles are without some experienced stars for Saturday’s opening 2019 Nations Cup qualifier against South Africa in Uyo‚ including captain John Obi Mikel‚ but still have plenty of talent from the top leagues in Europe.
The Times Media Digital picks out five Super Eagles players who could prove match-winners at the weekend.
1) KELECHI IHEANACHO (MANCHESTER CITY‚ ENGLAND)
“Iheanacho did not have the greatest season with English giants Manchester City as he battled with the competition up front at Eastlands‚ but he remains a key figure in the national set-up.
“He has scored six goals in nine internationals for the Super Eagles and will be their lead forward again‚ with his last goal coming in the 3-0 win over Togo at the weekend.
“The 20-year-old is lively up front and arguably the best “finisher” in the team. He has scored 21 goals in 64 games for City‚ but is expected to leave in the next transfer window‚ with West Ham United leading the race for his signature.
2) ALEX IWOBI (ARSENAL‚ ENGLAND)
“Iwobi can play on either wing and is coming off a good season for Arsenal‚ where the 21-year-old netted four goals from his wide positions.
He also netted for Nigeria in their 2-1 World Cup qualifier victory over Zambia in October last year‚ his only international goal to date.
“The versatile attacking midfielder can play as an out-and-out winger‚ or up front in a 4-3-3 with Iheanacho and Ahmed Musa.
“Iwobi was born in Lagos but played junior football for England having moved to that country at the age of four. However‚ he committed to the Super Eagles in 2015 and had been a regular when fit since.”
3) AHMED MUSA (LEICESTER CITY‚ ENGLAND)
“The most experienced of the forwards in the Nigeria squad‚ Musa is a player who has hurt Bafana in the past‚ denying them a rare win when he equalised late on in a 1-1 draw in March 2015.
“He has flourished under Rohr and scored twice in the 2-0 win over Togo at the weekend‚ showing form coming into the qualifier with Bafana.
“Musa can also play as a winger or an out-and-out forward and has blistering pace to go with a rocket shot.
“He can also be a bit wayward though and is in many respects a similar player in style to Bafana’s Tokelo Rantie.
“He signed for English champions Leicester City at the start of the last season after five seasons with CSKA Moscow in Russia‚ where he was a prolific scorer.
4) WILFRED NDIDI (LEICESTER CITY‚ ENGLAND)
“Ndidi had the unenviable task of replacing the outstanding N’Golo Kanté at English side Leicester City when he arrived in January this year from Racing Genk‚ but after a slow start flourished in his defensive midfield role to become a real fan favourite.
“He also showed his stamina by playing in an incredible 59 games for club and country‚ including both the UEFA Europa League (with Genk) and the Champions League (with Leicester).
“Although not known for his goal-scoring‚ he also netted six times to show that he can be a threat in the box.
“The 20-year-old made his Nigeria debut at the age of 18 in October 2015‚ though there have been question-marks over his age in the past when he was withdrawn from the Nigeria Under-17 side three years ago after MRI scans showed he was slightly above the threshold set out by FIFA.
5) OGENYI ONAZI (TRABZONSPOR‚ TURKEY)
“Onazi is an experienced campaigner and in the absence of Obi Mikel will be a crucial anchor in the Nigeria midfield.
“The 24-year-old had spent five seasons with Lazio in Italy’s Serie A before joining Trabzonspor ahead of last season‚ where he had a good campaign.
“An industrious midfielder‚ he has a box-to-box style and will be tasked with getting Nigeria onto the front-foot when they win possession.
“He has met South Africa on four previous occasions‚ including both qualifiers in the 2015 Nations Cup preliminaries‚ and is yet to taste defeat.
Confederation of African Football president Patrice Motsepe has praised Morocco’s King Mohammed VI for what he described as a powerful gesture of unity and reconciliation following the royal pardon granted to Senegalese supporters convicted over offences linked to the final match of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
In a statement released on Saturday, Motsepe expressed deep appreciation on behalf of CAF’s 54 member associations, hailing the Moroccan monarch’s decision as a demonstration of football’s ability to foster peace and solidarity across the continent.
“I would like to express our deep gratitude to His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist him, for granting His Royal Pardon to the Senegalese supporters convicted of offences relating to the final match of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025,” Motsepe stated.
The CAF president said the pardon reflected Morocco’s enduring commitment to African unity and highlighted football’s growing role as a bridge between nations and cultures.
“CAF has consistently emphasised its commitment to utilise football to contribute to uniting our people from different racial, ethnic and religious backgrounds,” he said.
“The pardon by His Majesty King Mohammed VI is an uplifting and motivating illustration of the power of football to unite and bring our people together in Africa and worldwide.”
Motsepe also revealed that during recent visits to both Morocco and Senegal, he had been struck by the deep historical and cultural bonds shared by the two countries.
“I was amazed and impressed when I was briefed about the historic and extensive ties between the people of Senegal and Morocco,” he added.
The statement further reinforced Morocco’s rising influence within African football, especially after successfully hosting the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and positioning itself as one of Africa’s leading football destinations ahead of the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which it will co-host with Spain and Portugal.
Motsepe also extended CAF’s best wishes to Africa’s representatives at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, expressing confidence that the continent’s teams would perform strongly on the global stage.
Among the African nations mentioned were Morocco, Senegal, Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia, Ghana, South Africa, Côte d’Ivoire, Cape Verde and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
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By Kunle Solaja.
Former African champions Algeria and Zambia are set for an early showdown after the release of the Group I fixtures for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
Algeria host Zambia on Matchday One on September 21, 2026, in what is expected to be one of the headline fixtures of the qualifying campaign, while Togo entertain Burundi in the group’s other opening tie.
The Desert Foxes are favourites to qualify, but Zambia’s growing consistency and Togo’s unpredictability could make the race highly competitive.
Algeria travel to Burundi on Matchday Two before facing Togo in back-to-back encounters across Matchdays Three and Four. Zambia also meet Burundi home and away during the same period.
The potentially decisive fixture comes on March 22, 2027, when Zambia host Algeria in a clash that could determine the final standings.
Group I Fixtures
Matchday 1 — September 21, 2026
- Algeria vs Zambia
- Togo vs Burundi
Matchday 2 — October 6, 2026
- Zambia vs Togo
- Burundi vs Algeria
Matchday 3 — October 2026
- Algeria vs Togo
- Zambia vs Burundi
Matchday 4 — November 17, 2026
- Togo vs Algeria
- Burundi vs Zambia
Matchday 5 — March 22, 2027
- Zambia vs Algeria
- Burundi vs Togo
Matchday 6 — March 30, 2027
- Togo vs Zambia
- Algeria vs Burundi
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By Kunle Solaja.
African heavyweights Senegal will launch their quest for another Africa Cup of Nations appearance with a home clash against Mozambique in Group J of the 2027 AFCON qualifiers.
The Lions of Teranga, among the continent’s strongest teams in recent years, headline a group that also includes Sudan and Ethiopia.
Senegal host Mozambique on Matchday One on September 21, 2026, while Sudan tackle Ethiopia in the other opening encounter.
Senegal are strong favourites to dominate the group, but Sudan and Mozambique are expected to battle fiercely for qualification points.
The key fixtures may emerge in the double-header between Senegal and Sudan across Matchdays Three and Four, while Mozambique and Ethiopia also face each other home and away.
Senegal travel to Mozambique on Matchday Five before ending their campaign at home against Ethiopia on March 30, 2027.
Group J Fixtures
Matchday 1 — September 21, 2026
- Senegal vs Mozambique
- Sudan vs Ethiopia
Matchday 2 — October 6, 2026
- Mozambique vs Sudan
- Ethiopia vs Senegal
Matchday 3 — October 2026
- Senegal vs Sudan
- Mozambique vs Ethiopia
Matchday 4 — November 17, 2026
- Sudan vs Senegal
- Ethiopia vs Mozambique
Matchday 5 — March 22, 2027
- Mozambique vs Senegal
- Ethiopia vs Sudan
Matchday 6 — March 30, 2027
- Sudan vs Mozambique
- Senegal vs Ethiopia
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