Eguavoen explains decision to cap-tie English-born CB Gabriel Osho, why his debut was cut short

Augustine Eguavoen, the interim manager of the Super Eagles, has provided insights into his decision to cap-tie Reading-born central defender Gabriel Osho during the match against Benin and subsequently replace him at halftime.

Eguavoen chose to start Osho in Thursday night's game, but with the team trailing at the break, he decided to substitute the Auxerre defender for Raphael Onyedika.

In a press briefing ahead of Nigeria's upcoming clash with Rwanda, Eguavoen clarified that Osho's selection was a result of thorough scouting of his performances in Ligue 1.

The decision was further influenced by the injury to Semi Ajayi, which necessitated a fresh face in the defense.

"Gabriel Osho is somebody we have been following and because of Ajayi's injury somebody needed to be drafted. And we felt Gabriel was time for him to come on board, so he did," Eguavoen stated.

The Super Eagles approached the game with a tactical formation of a back three, complemented by four players in midfield and three forwards.

However, as the team found themselves behind at halftime, Eguavoen opted to substitute Osho, replacing him with Raphael Onyedika to shift to a more offensive strategy.

"And in that game our tactical approach was a back three and four across midfield and three upfront," Eguavoen explained.

"End of first half, we were trailing by a goal and we needed to revert to back four. I explained to him that you're to come out for an offensive player."

Looking ahead, Nigeria will face Rwanda on Monday, November 18, in Uyo.

Currently sitting atop their group with 11 points from five games, the Super Eagles have already secured qualification for the upcoming biennial tournament.

Despite this achievement, the team remained determined to clinch a victory in front of their home fans and maintain their unbeaten streak in the group.

Adeyemi Adewale

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