'We rejoiced too quickly' - OGC Nice coach reacts to Moffi's late inclusion in Nigeria's final AFCON squad 

Coach Francesco Farioli has confessed that OGC Nice prematurely celebrated the initial omission of Terem Moffi from Nigeria's Africa Cup of Nations and has admitted that it would be difficult replacing the striker while he's away on international duty in Côte d'Ivoire. 

Bayer Leverkusen sensation Victor Boniface was initially expected to participate in the Africa Cup of Nations but was forced to withdraw from the squad after suffering a groin injury during Nigeria's training camp in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

The Nigeria Football Federation, in conjunction with manager Jose Peseiro, quickly handed a call-up to Moffi as a replacement for Boniface. 

Moffi will link up with the Nigeria squad in Côte d'Ivoire after Nice's Ligue 1 meeting with Rennes, meaning it is highly unlikely he will be named in the matchday squad to face Equatorial Guinea on Sunday, January 14.

Speaking at the pre-match press conference before the visit to Roazhon Park (Rennes), Farioli told reporters: "We rejoiced too quickly (for Moffi). With the injured player in the Nigerian squad there was the need to call up a new player. 

"I said before the match against Auxerre that Moffi would have loved to represent his country. So we are happy for him. This is a problem for us. 

"He will stay focused (against Rennes on Saturday), he still has a match to play with Nice, that's the most important thing.

"We will have to find solutions for the following matches, replacing Terem is not easy given what he brings us in all phases of the game."

Farioli went on to reveal that Moffi's heart is divided between playing for OGC Nice and joining his international teammates in Ivory Coast for the Africa Cup of Nations. 

He continued: "But for now he is there and will respond. I am sure that (Saturday) he will bring us as much as usual. His heart is divided in two.

"On one side there is his selection, but on the other side his heart is Nice. And I am sure that he will give us even more than usual because he will want to leave us with good memories, before focusing on the CAN with his selection.

"And when he comes back he will refocus on Nice and the team's objectives".

With 6 goals in sixteen matches, Moffi is Nice's top scorer in the French Ligue 1, ahead of Jérémie Boga and Gaëtan Laborde who have scored three goals each.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel 

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