The coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Jose Peseiro has made his starting lineup for the quarter final game against Angola at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations, OwnGoalNigeria.com can exclusively reveal.
Peseiro is a win away from triggering an extension in his deal which gave him an option of a further two years as the coach of the team if he gets to the semi final of the tournament. The clause was agreed when he signed his new deal which covers the period of the tournament.
He is therefore not leaving any stone unturned in his bid to reach the target set by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and he has put out what has been his best lineup since the start of the tournament.
In goal he picked the returning Stanley Nwabali ahead of Francis Uzoho, but it is still subject to a test before kickoff. The defence remains the same as in the 2-0 win against Cameroon in the round of 16.
Calvin Bassey, William Troost-Ekong and Semi Ajayi will play as a back three with the duo of Ola Aina and Zaidu Sanusi playing wide as wingbacks but with instruction to drop into the middle and help the middle duo of Alex Iwobi and Frank Onyeka.
In attack, the coach stuck with the trio of Moses Simon, Ademola Lookman who scored both goals in the win over Cameroon with Victor Osimhen completing the set up in attack. There is still no spot for Leicester City forward Kelechi Iheanacho, who is yet to get a minute of action at the tournament.
Starting XI:
Stanley Nwabali
Ola Aina
Zaidu Sanusi
Calvin Bassey
Semi Ajayi
William Troost-Ekong
Alex Iwobi
Frank Onyeka
Moses Simon
Ademola Lookman
Victor Osimhen
Ade Emmanuel
