Ighalo emerges as top scorer in Nations Cup qualifiers as Rohr decides to rest him for today's friendly against Egypt

SUPER Eagles striker Odion Ighalo has emerged at the top scorer in the 2019 African Cup of Nations qualifiers with seven goals to his name following the conclusion of the matches and the emergence of the 24 teams that will feature in the tournament.

In an expanded tournament, Egypt 2019 will include Pot A teams Egypt, Cameroon, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Tunisia and Senegal, Pot B teams Morocco, Nigeria, Algeria, Guinea, Mali and DR Congo. Pot C teams include Uganda, South Africa, Guinea-Bissau, Zimbabwe, Angola and Burundi, while Pot D teams include Mauritania, Namibia, Benin, Kenya, Madagascar and Tanzania.

Nigeria got off to a poor start in the qualifiers, losing her opening game 0-2 at home to South Africa but after that the eagles bounced back, with Ighalo emerging as the star man. He ended the qualifiers with seven goals, his latest coming last Saturday in the final game against Seychelles to beat Fiston Abdul Razak of Burundi who scored six.

Ighalo opened his scoring account in the away match with Seychelles and then scored a hat-trick in the home match against Libya. In the away match against Libya, he scored two goals and then wrapped finally up his campaign with a penalty in Asaba on Friday, in a game with Nigeria won 3-1.

Later today, the Eagles face Egypt in a friendly match at Asaba but Ighalo will be rested as head coach Gernot Rohr uses the opportunity to try out several new players. Mr Rohr added that Brighton defender Leon Balogun and FC Midtjyland striker Paul Onuachu will be in the line-up today.

Both Onuachu and Balogun were on the bench when Nigeria played Seychelles on Friday with the former coming on as a second half substitute for his senior team debut. Today, however, Mr Rohr confirmed that both players will play from the start.

Mr Rohr said: “We have a new striker starting, we will have a new goalkeeper playing and there will be a change in the defence. Leon Balogun will play and we will also have a new midfielder in the midfield.”

With four players Francis Uzoho, Chidozie Awaziem, Valentine Ozornwafor and Victor Osimhen assigned to a rescue mission with the Under 23s yesterday, Mr Rohr also said that some of the other fringe players will get playing time today.