Ola Aina’s return to action against Southampton provided a significant boost for the Super Eagles ahead of their upcoming 2025 AFCON qualifying matches with Republic of Benin and Rwanda respectfully.
The Super Eagles fullback made his return with a significant impact in Nottingham Forest’s crucial 1-0 win over Southampton at the weekend.
Morgan Gibbs-White scored for Nottingham Forest in the 70th minute, rewarding the visitors with their dominant performance during the contest.
The Super Eagles right-back seemed to have suffered an ankle injury during the opening Premier League match between Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth at the City Ground.
He was substituted in the 54th minute, with Harry Toffolo taking his place, in the match that ended in a 1-1 draw.
After the injury scare, Aina returned against Southampton and showed remarkable resilience by playing the full match for and delivering a strong performance.
According to Whoscored ratings, the Super Eagles fullback was ranked as the fourth best player on parade at the St. Mary’s Stadium.
Aina’s impressive performance earned him a rating of 7.49, highlighted by 3 clearances and 3 interceptions, 1 big chance created, and a pass completion rate of 90% during the game against Southampton.
The Nigerian fullback was only surpassed in rankings by Morgan Gibbs-White, Neco Williams and Callum Hudson-Odoi.
The return of Aina provides a significant boost for Nigeria as they prepare for the 2025 AFCON qualifiers against the Republic of Benin and Rwanda.
The national team will play Benin Republic on September 7, 2024, at the Uyo Township Stadium, followed by a match against Rwanda three days later.
While the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is expected to announce the list of invited players for the upcoming matches soon, Aina’s comeback from a potential injury enhances Nigeria’s prospects of achieving positive results in both games.
