AFCON 2021 selection dilemna

The Franco-German has an array of injury concerns ahead of the double header as he prepares to announce his squad list for the games this week.

Rohr has kept faith with Victor Osimhen to lead the lines for the Eagles since Odion Ighalo retired from international football and the Lille striker has not disappointed by scoring once in two starts.

But the 20-year-old, who has scored eight goals in 14 games this season for Lille, was stretchered off in the second half with a left thigh injury in Lille’s 3-0 win over Bordeaux in a Ligue 1 game on Saturday.

Osimhen’s injury has raised doubts over his availability for the games with his club coach, Christophe Galtier, admiting his injury could be troublesome.

“He’d already felt a pain before (the match). I was going to take him off, but then he got injured. Is it serious? I don’t know yet.”

Should Osimhen fail to recover fully from the adductor pain he suffered in the game, Rohr will have Paul Onuachu and Emmanuel Dennis and Peter Olayinka to pick from to lead the Eagles attack for the games.

Onuachu made a bright start to his international career netting a stunning striker against Egypt on his debut in March, but had since gone on a six-game goal drought.

In defence, the 66-year-old also has a tough call to make with the return of Kenneth Omeruo to the team after he missed out on the Eagles’ last two games.

In his absence, West Bromwich Albion’s Semi Ajayi has flourished, forming a good partnership with William Troost-Ekong.

Ajayi’s introduction to the team has brought exquistie play from the team’s defence, winning the ball cleanly and playing forward with composure.

Paired with Troost-Ekong’s increasingly vocal bent, there is a greater balance to the centre of the Super Eagles defence once more.

Also, in the absence of the injured Francis Uzoho, Rohr also faces a difficult task to choose from Maduka Okoye and Ikechukwu Ezenwa to man the sticks.

Ezenwa has been inactive over three months while Maduka’s club form for his German Bundesliga U-23 outfit Fortuna Dusseldorf II in the fourth tier division does not inspire confidence.

The 20-year-old shot-stopper is yet to keep a clean sheet this season and has conceded 17 goals in seven games this season.