Off the back of Nigeria’s campaign at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, there were two immediately obvious areas of concern.
The first was in the goalkeeper department. In truth, it is an area that has caused Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr no end of consternation during his time in charge. Carl Ikeme, Daniel Akpeyi, Ikechukwu Ezenwa and Francis Uzoho have all, at one time or the other, laid claim to the no.1 spot and, aside the now-retired former Wolverhampton Wanderers goalkeeper, all have failed to convince.
In Egypt, it was Akpeyi who was given the nod, and while there were no calamitous gaffes (at least none that led to concessions), his lack of assertiveness in his own area and a general air of untidiness to the manner in which he fielded efforts on goal had many a sphincter tightly clenched.