Nigeria: Emenike Leads Eagles Attack Against Argentina

11 May 2011

Turkey-based striker Emmanuel Emenike will be handed a second chance to lead the Super Eagles strike force against Argentina in a friendly next month.

Emenike’s much-awaited Eagles debut in February against Sierra Leone was short lived when he was pulled off after less than half an hour following a shin injury.

It was gathered that coach Samson Siasia plans to play the big Karabukspor striker with on-form Osaze Odemwingie against two-time world champions Argentina on June 1 in Abuja.

Emenike suffered a rib injury recently but he is expected to be fit in time for the top Eagles games next month.

Siasia is equally mulling a strike force of Osaze and Newcastle star Shola Ameobi.

“Siasia is working on his attack for the match against Argentina. His two options are either Osaze and Emenike or Osaze and Ameobi. The most productive of these two options will then start against Ethiopia in Addis Ababa,” a top team source said.

“He also wants to see how Mikel Obi plays alongside Victor Moses in the midfield, besides the preferred combination of Mikel and Joel Obi.

“But as the nationality switch of both Ameobi and Moses has yet to come through, Siasia has been pushing for the two players to be available for the Argentina friendly. It will more or less be the same team that will face Ethiopia a few days later.”

Deputy general secretary (technical) of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Emmanuel Ikpeme said that everything was being done ensure Ameobi and Moses feature against Argentina.

“Honestly, we are not resting on our oars as regards the case. Only recently, the English Football Association wrote back to us asking that the players write personal letters to them (English FA) indicating their wish and interest to change citizenship (to Nigeria). After this, the English FA would now react officially before the next line of action would be taken,” said Ikpeme.

“We are racing to meet the friendly and we have already told the players to write the letters as instructed by the English FA and hopefully we should get a positive result.”

AllAfrica – All the Time