Former Nigerian striker, Jonathan Akpoborie, has expressed his disappointment with Super Eagles coach, Jose Peseiro’s poor substitutions in the recent 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers in Monrovia. Despite Victor Osimhen scoring twice in the first half, Sierra Leone staged a comeback in the second half, before Kelechi Iheanacho came off the bench to score the winning goal for Nigeria. However, the Portuguese tactician’s substitutions have come under scrutiny, with Akpoborie being one of the many critics.
In an exclusive chat with Completesports.com, Akpoborie stated that Peseiro’s poor substitutions could have cost the team the game against Sierra Leone. Despite having a wealth of talent at his disposal, Peseiro’s inability to make good changes during the game could have a major impact on the team’s performance in a significant tournament.
While Akpoborie is happy that the team has qualified for the 2023 AFCON, he believes that Peseiro must make significant improvements when it comes to making substitutions. Nigeria could have ended up losing the game against Sierra Leone due to Peseiro’s poor substitution in the second half, which was evident to all. If Nigeria is to achieve anything tangible at the tournament in Ivory Coast, Peseiro must know his team better and make quality changes that will be result-oriented.
In conclusion, Akpoborie’s comments serve as a wake-up call for Peseiro and the Super Eagles. With the tournament just around the corner, the team needs to be firing on all cylinders, and this includes the coach’s ability to make effective substitutions. Only time will tell if Peseiro can rise up to the challenge and lead Nigeria to glory in Ivory Coast.
