Terem Moffi to miss Super Eagles first AFCON game

Terem Moffi to miss Super Eagles first AFCON game
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The Super Eagles have barely much to celebrate these days despite replacing Victor Boniface with Terem Moffi ahead of AFCON 2023 kicking off in a couple of days.

The Super Eagles, who are seeking their fourth AFCON title, are already in Ivory Coast but without the full complement of their players.

The events of the past few weeks are enough to dampen the spirit of the team, but neither Jose Peseirro nor the players are in low spirits.

The latest issue for Peseiro to deal with is Terem Moffi. The Nice striker was a late replacement for Boniface, who copped a groin injury a week before the tournament's kick-off.

Reports suggest that Terem Moffi will not be available for the Super Eagles opening game against Equatorial Guinea on Sunday.

Terem Moffi to miss Super Eagles game against Equatorial Guinea

Terem Moffi in action for Super Eagles
Credit: Icon Sport

CAF regulations allowed Nigeria to replace the injured Boniface before the start of AFCON 2023. Despite the late replacement, Terem Moffi will not be available for the Super Eagles' first game of the tournament, thanks to the late call-up.

There will be a delay to the arrival of Terem Moffi to the Super Eagles in Ivory Coast.

The Nigerian forward will be in action for Nice in their Ligue 1 game against Stade Rennais this Saturday. He will join up with the team after the league game.

Terem Moffi was active during the Super Eagles qualification for AFCON 2023 but failed to make the final team to Ivory Coast.

With Kelechi Iheanacho unavailable and Terem Moffi in limbo, Peseiro's attack is stretched thin, and he would need to be extra strategic.

Terem Moffi's stats this season

Terem Moffi to miss Super Eagles first AFCON 2023 game
Photo by Icon sport

Questions have arisen over the suitability of Terem Moffi as a replacement for Victor Boniface.

Boniface has been in electric form this season, scoring several goals for Bayer Leverkusen this term and winning four Rookie of the Month awards.

Terem Moffi has not been in bad form, but not spectacular.

Some have claimed that there are better players to replace Boniface, with Gift Orban touted as more deserving of a place in Ivory Coast.

He has played 17 games for Nice this season. Sixteen of those games have come in Ligue 1, with one in the French Cup.

He has scored six league goals and two assists. The Nice forward has only missed one league game for Nice this season – the 3-1 loss to Havre.

The six goals he has scored came against Strasbourg (1), PSG (2), Toulouse (1) and Lens (2).

He also scored a goal in the Super Eagles 3-2 win over Mozambique.

The Nice forward will be in the Ivory Coast next week. Barring any unforeseen circumstances should be available for the game against the Elephants of Ivory Coast.

This article was most recently revised and updated 1 year ago

Chooka Izuegbuna is a Sports Journalist with 20 years of experience in print, TV and Radio. He has worked with some of the top media houses in Nigeria, including NTA Network, Channels TV, TVC, Silverbird TV and MITV. Chooka broke his sports reporting teeth with The Game Football Weekly in 2003 as a cartoonist and reporter. Chooka has a passion for football and has been a fan of Enugu Rangers (over 30 years) and Real Madrid (Since 1996).