Super Eagles Coach Jose Peseiro has shed light on Kelechi Iheanacho’s continued absence from the pitch at the ongoing AFCON tournament.
Despite being included in the matchday squad for almost every game, Iheanacho has not played a single minute, including Nigeria’s thrilling victory over Cameroon to secure their spot in the quarterfinals.
Addressing the situation in his post-match press conference, Peseiro emphasised that the game’s flow dictated his decision to keep Iheanacho on the sidelines.
“I understand Kelechi’s [Iheanacho] talent and capabilities,” he stated, “but I prefer not to dwell on individual situations. All players are important, including those who haven’t played, like Kelechi.”
Peseiro explained further, “If we needed to score against Cameroon, Kelechi might have come on. However, our focus was on protecting the lead. Bringing him in wasn’t necessary for our tactical strategy.”
It’s worth noting that Iheanacho had been in good form for Leicester City before picking up an injury before the tournament, scoring six goals and registering two assists in their promotion push.
ALSO READ: AFCON 2023: I am 100% fit and ready to serve Nigeria, Iheanacho declares
Peseiro pointed out that other players like Samuel Chukwueze and Joe Aribo, who have already contributed significantly to Nigeria’s AFCON campaign, also did not feature against Cameroon due to the specific requirements of the match.
The question on everyone’s mind is whether players like Iheanacho, Terem Moffi, Ahmed Musa, and Bruno Onyeamachi, who all have not seen any playing time will be considered for Friday’s quarter-final clash against Angola.
“I wish I could put all 25 players on the pitch,” Peseiro concluded jokingly, “but unfortunately, that’s not possible.”
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