Injury Blow for Super Eagles as Stephen Manyo Ruled Out of CHAN Clash with Congo

Nigeria’s home-based Super Eagles have suffered another setback at the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN) as defender Stephen Manyo is expected to miss the clash with Congo due to injury.

According to team media officer Promise Efoghe, the Rivers United player sustained a shoulder injury during training and will not be available for selection.

Manyo only just made his debut for Nigeria at the tournament, coming on as a second-half substitute for Leonard Ngenege in Tuesday’s game against Sudan.

Meanwhile, the squad’s injury concerns continue, with first-choice goalkeeper Ani Ozoemena still struggling to recover from the knee problem that sidelined him in the earlier matches.

The Super Eagles are set to face Éric Chelle’s Congo at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium, Dar es Salaam, next Tuesday. However, Nigeria has already been eliminated from the competition after consecutive defeats to Senegal and Sudan.

Opinion:
The CHAN 2024 campaign has been nothing short of disappointing for Nigeria, and Manyo’s injury only adds salt to the wound. For a team that came into the tournament with high expectations, poor results and mounting injuries have left fans frustrated.

Yet, there is still a silver lining: competitions like CHAN are designed to give home-based talents exposure on the international stage. Manyo’s debut, though short-lived, and Ozoemena’s promising form before his setback, are glimpses of the potential Nigeria’s local league has to offer.

The bigger question is whether the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and coaching crew will learn from this outing. Will they invest more in scouting, preparation, and medical support for the home-based team? Or will CHAN continue to be a missed opportunity?

For now, the Super Eagles may be out of the tournament, but how they handle the Congo clash could determine whether they bow out with a whimper—or with dignity intact.