Rohr looks set to stick with Onyibo Wall while using Musa as his top striker against South Africa

SUPER Eagles head coach Gernot Rohr appears to have stuck with his tried and trusted Onyibo Wall at the heart of the Nigerian defence for tomorrow's African nations Cup qualifier against South Africa while handing Ahmed Musa the number nine shirt.

Tomorrow, the Eagles play their penultimate game against Bafana Bafana in Johannesburg and the team is suffering from several notable absentees including skipper Mikel Obi,. striker Odion Ighalo and midfielder Wilfred Ndidi. Also, there had been question marks about the fitness of central defender Leon Balogun due to his limited action with Brighton & Hove in the English Premier League this season.

This morning, the team departed for South Africa and it appears that Mr Rohr will stick with the central defensive partnership of Balogun and William Ekong, known as the Onyibo Wall, what served him so well in the World Cup qualifiers. Upfront, he also plans to use Musa as his main striker as a direct replacement for Ighalo, hoping that his pace will trouble the South Africans.

This season, Balogun has played just two games for Brighton, leading to suggestions that he would be dropped for Kenneth Omeruo who has enjoyed a regular run of games with Spanish side Leganes. Omeruo has played in the last five games of Leganes and is currently in a rich vein of form but in training, Mr Rohr has stuck with his reliable Onyibo Wall and looks set to start them tomorrow.

Mr Rohr said: “Our mission in Johannesburg is simple, qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations. We are not thinking of anything else and we want the ticket in our pocket before the final matchday."

South Africa has much to worry about in the run-up to the game as Nigeria's recent victories over Seychelles and Libya has catapulted the Eagles o top place in the group, which Bafana Bafana led comfortably earlier on in qualification. Should Nigeria win on Saturday, the heat would be on South Africa  as they could be torpedoed for second spot by the ferocious Mediterranean Knights of Libya.

Mr Rohr is thus inclined towards playing Musa as his targetman. Although he has Victor Osimhen and Isaac Success available, he is keen on using Musa’s pace in running behind the Bafana Bafana defence.

In attack, the option of playing Success upfront is still being mooted but for now, Rohr is pinning on using the pace of his forwards in Samuel Kalu, Ahmed Musa and Alex Iwobi in a 4-3-3 formation against South Africa on Saturday. Samuel Chukwueze of Villarreal is likely to be handed the playmaker's role having been handed the number 10 jersey in a midfield likely to comprise of Mikel Agu and John Ogu.