ARIBO IS WINNER IN THE MO v JOE SHOW
Rangers player trumps Liverpool star as Nigeria edge out Egypt
THIS Africa Cup of Nations battle of the No10s pitted arguably the current best player on the planet against an Ibrox attacker with a huge future.
In Cameroon yesterday it was the English Premier League versus the Scottish Premiership; Liverpool v Rangers; Mo versus Joe.
All eyes, as ever, were on the formidable Mohamed Salah when his Egypt side took on Joe Aribo’s Nigeria in sweltering Garoua.
But it was Aribo, an early contender for Premiership player of the year, who ended the match victorious against the seven-times AFCON winners having justified the rising expectancy being placed upon his shoulders at international level.
Before kick-off he was being hailed as the modern-day successor to the legendary Super Eagles No10 Jay-Jay Okocha, formerly of Bolton and Paris Saint-Germain.
‘He also shares a similar playing style with Kevin De Bruyne,’ said respected former Nigeria international youth coach Bunmi Haruna.
‘Just like the Belgian, he can come in from the wings, behind the strikers or as a creative deep-lying midfielder.
‘The latter (De Bruyne) is of better quality due to some essentials he has added to his game — Kevin is a dead-ball specialist while Aribo is not — but the Manchester City star is a perfect example of what Aribo should aspire to be like.’
Despite coming under intense scrutiny in the 35-degree heat at the Rounmde Adjia Stadium yesterday, Aribo did not wilt.
The 25-year-old settled well into this match against historically the most successful team in AFCON.
He shone with some lovely touches and clever movement, initially while playing in a deeper role than the one he excels in with Rangers.
But it was the moment when Aribo got the ball in a more dangerous, advanced area, that Nigeria won this match.
After Moses Simon’s right-wing cross was nodded clear by Egypt’s Ahmed Hegazi, the ball looped towards the lurking Aribo at the edge of the box.
With swiftness of thought, the Ibrox star leapt from the ground and nodded it deftly sideways to Kelechi Iheanacho.
The Leicester City striker duly sent a rocket of a shot past Mohammed El Shenawy and into the top-right corner of the Egypt net.
It was to prove the only goal of a game in which Liverpool’s Salah, with 45 goals from 74 caps for the Pharaohs, cut an isolated and frustrated figure up front.
Towards the end of a fine performance by Aribo, there was also time for a brief reunion with an old Ibrox colleague.
Striker Umar Sadiq, who made four appearances for Rangers in 2018 and now plays in Spain with Almeria, replaced Taiwo Awoniyi with 18 minutes to go to make his Nigeria debut. Rangers fans will have been happy to see their talisman Aribo (left) doing so well in the tournament opener.
But his national team’s continued success could ultimately prove bittersweet for Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s Premiership leaders.
The longer Nigeria progress in the competition, the more likely that Aribo could miss up to seven matches including the rearranged Old Firm game at Celtic Park on February 2.
Another fear for Ibrox fans is that a player who is already a target for several English Premier League clubs, including Steven Gerrard’s Aston Villa, could propel himself further into the January transfer spotlight with a series of fine displays in the international arena.
Rangers legend Brian Laudrup has already hailed Aribo’s emergence as the most important attacking player in Van Bronckhorst’s armoury this season.
The Ibrox icon this week jokingly told Sportsmail that he hopes Aribo doesn’t dazzle too much at AFCON because it might hasten his exit from Govan.
Elsewhere, former England and Dundee centre-back Steven Caulker made his Sierra Leone debut as they drew 0-0 with holders Algeria, while Sudan drew 0-0 with Guinea-Bissau.