'Will play a part' - Ex-Stoke City CB reckons Ndidi, Boniface injuries have weakened Super Eagles 

Former Stoke City central defender Gabriel Zakuani has expressed his worries about the Super Eagles' chances at the Africa Cup of Nations amidst injuries to Wilfred Ndidi and Victor Boniface but also admitted that they are still one of the tournament's favorites.

The three-time African champions have been dealt a huge blow ahead of the start of AFCON due to the absence of absence Ndidi and Boniface.

While both have been replaced by Alhassan Yusuf and Terem Moffi respectively, there is a feeling that the squad has been decimated owing to the absence of the the Bayern Leverkusen striker and his Leicester City counterpart.

Zakuani has reckoned that the West African Nation will be affected by the injuries but also didn't fail to mention that they still have enough quality to be considered a force to reckon with.

"I think the injuries will play a part because that is where they lack,"Zakuani said to BBC World Service. 

"I think they need a midfielder that can keep things ticking. They definitely would be one of the teams to watch out for having the attacking force that they have.

"It is not just Osimhen, they have got Lookman in there as well, you have got players that can get involved. Iwobi has been in good form, so it is a team that you will look forward to but can they just keep it at the other end." 

The Super Eagles will begin their campaign against Equatorial Guinea on Sunday before a crunch tie against host nation Ivory Coast next Thursday.

Abdulkareem Abdulhamid

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