Injured Troost-Ekong declares himself ready for Angola

William Troost-Ekong of Nigeria during the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations press conference for Nigeria in Abidjan, Cote dIvoire on 17 January 2024 ©Lenoir Records/BackpagePix

by Thando Mpembe

Thursday Feb 01, 2024. 14:00

Nigeria captain William Troost-Ekong has admitted that he is currently nursing an injury, but he is confident that he will be fit to face Angola.

The Super Eagles of Nigeria are set to take on Palancas Negras in a 2023 AFCON quarter-final match at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium in Abidjan, Ivory Coast on Friday.

Troost-Ekong revealed that he has been carrying a small injury since Nigeria’s Group A match against Ivory Coast in which he scored his side’s winning goal on 18 January.

“You are going to see a team as motivated as we have been for the whole tournament,” Troost-Ekong said on All Nigeria Soccer. https://www.allnigeriasoccer.com/read_news.php?nid=50294#google_vignette

“Our message has stayed the same throughout. We’re going to be trying to improve what we did. It’s going to be a tough game.

“I’m struggling with a small injury since the Ivory Coast game so I’m just trying to manage myself. But I’ll be ready to play on Friday if the coach selects me.”

Troost-Ekong has three goals to his name in AFCON tournaments since the 30-year-old made his debut in the competition in the 2019 edition.

He will be aiming to equal the legendary Stephen Keshi as the top-scoring Nigerian defender in the history of the competition on Friday.