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William Troost-Ekong has been the leader of the Nigeria Super Eagles on the pitch at the 34th AFCON and will lead the team against South Africa.
Nigerian defender William Troost-Ekong has explained why the Super Eagles are a difficult opponent for teams to play against at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Pulse Sports Nigeria reports that ahead of the explosive semifinal clash against South Africa, Troost-Ekong believes that Victor Osimhen’s presence in attack benefits the wide players making life difficult for teams.
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William Troost-Ekong: The defensive rock powering Nigeria's AFCON semifinal bid
Comparing William Troost-Ekong's 'Then and Now' stats for Nigeria Super Eagles from the AFCON 2019 quarterfinal vs South Africa and Angola in 2023.
Troost-Ekong on Super Eagles
As Nigeria prepares for their AFCON semifinal against South Africa's Bafana Bafana, Troost-Ekong suggests Osimhen's threat and the attention he draws give players like Moses Simon and Ademola Lookman more freedom to create chances or score.
According to Troost-Ekong, the Napoli icon is "carrying a lot of weight" and occupying multiple defenders to create space for his strike partners to exploit at AFCON 2023.
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“Victor Osimhen is carrying a lot of weight and maybe occupies two or three players at a time which creates a lot of space for Simon Moses and Ademola Lookman,” Troost-Ekong said per The Athletic.
“It's not nice to play against Nigeria,” the stand-in captain in Cote d’Ivoire added.
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Nigeria and South Africa will renew their rivalry on Wednesday when they take to the pitch in the first semifinal match at the AFCON 2023.
The Super Eagles' bid to overcome the Bafana Bafana suffered a scare when Osimhen was not spotted with his teammates on their way to Bouake, the venue of the clash against the rainbow nation.
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However, the 25-year-old was later cleared of the abdominal pain that had threatened to derail Nigeria’s quest for glory in Ivory Coast.
Osimhen’s absence would have been a major blow for Nigeria given Troost-Ekong’s comments, highlighting how the Napoli striker's gravity-defying runs are providing a platform for Nigeria's wingers and the team to thrive.
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