AFCON 2023: Moffi set to replace injured Boniface
Super Eagles and OGC Nice forward, Terem Moffi is expected to replace injured Victor Boniface on the final Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) squad list.
Supreme News reports that Boniface had picked up a groin injury during training at the Super Eagles’ camp in Abu Dhabi.
The lingering injury was said to have kept him out of Sunday’s test game with local club, Al Gharbia and Monday’s International friendly against the Syli Nationale of Guinea.
Super Eagles spokesman, Babafemi Raji was quoted in a statement as saying that the replacement was imminent, pending the approval of both CAF and Moffi’s French Ligue 1 club.
“Victor Boniface is out and Terem Moffi takes his place pending the approval of CAF and concurrence of his club.
“A scan was done which showed that for the length of his recovery period, he will be out of AFCON.
“He will now return to Germany, where he will begin treatment for the groin injury that is expected to keep him out for six weeks,” he said.
The 23-year-old seemed to have resigned to fate after wishing his teammates the best of luck at the tournament on Monday.
He took to his X (now twitter) handle to recall how he was forced by injury to pull out of the U20 AFCON seven days to the tournament, and now the 2023 AFCON six days to the kick-off.
“At the U20 Nations Cup I got injured seven days before the tournament.
“Now, with the Super Eagles, I got injured six days before the Nations Cup.”Na only God knows why,” he said.
NAN also reports that Moffi was a shock omission on the final squad after consistency and goals in Ligue 1 since 2020.
His French club, OGC Nice had celebrated his omission from the final list for AFCON on the team’s official X (former twitter) handle.
His coach, Christophe Galtier described the striker as his team’s “best new signing” of the transfer window.
This was after they had conceded losing him ahead of the continental tournament.
The month-long AFCON tournament is expected to kick off on Saturday and end on Feb. 11.
