Flying Eagles team news: Zubairu identifies replacement for suspended winger Sani Suleiman

Allnigeriasoccer.com can exclusively report that Flying Eagles manager Aliyu Zubairu has identified a replacement for flamboyant winger Sani Suleiman ahead of Wednesday's eagerly anticipated Fifa U20 World Cup round of16 showdown with Argentina at the Estadio Nacional Julio Martínez Prádanos in Santiago.

Suleiman, widely regarded by pundits as the X-factor player in the Flying Eagles squad and a future Nigeria international, will sit out the encounter due to accumulated bookings.

The AS Trencin dazzler was booked in the 75th minute of Nigeria's thrilling 3–2 victory over Saudi Arabia and appeared set to escape suspension in the final group tie against Colombia, only to receive another caution four minutes into stoppage time.

If the Flying Eagles' last two training sessions is anything to go by, Zubairu is expected to to turn to Royal Antwerp's rising star Orseer Achihi as Suleiman's replacement in the starting lineup.

The 19-year-old is likely to be deployed on the left flank, the same position occupied by Suleiman in back-to-back group matches.

Achihi started as the left winger in the Flying Eagles' opening match against Norway only because Suleiman had been unable to shake off a niggle in the days leading up to the game.

However, Zubairu was forced to summon the former Akwa United forward from the bench as the Flying Eagles chased an equaliser.

Achihi may be an unknown quantity in these parts but he is a player with potential, having made his competitive debut for Royal Antwerp five months after his 18th birthday. 

Kickoff time at Estadio Nacional Julio Martínez Prádanos is 2030 hours Nigerian time.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

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