Feelers from the Atlas Lions’ camp suggest growing concern over the influence of Alex Iwobi ahead of Wednesday night’s semi-final clash between Nigeria and Morocco, with the Super Eagles midfielder widely seen as one of the key dangers to the hosts.
Iwobi has been central to Nigeria’s dominant run in the knockout stage, producing 22 line-breaking passes in the quarter-final demolition of Mozambique and adding 14 more against Algeria in Marrakech. Nigeria won both matches convincingly, scoring six goals without conceding, underlining the team’s growing momentum.
The 29-year-old also provided the assists for Nigeria’s first two goals of the tournament, both coming in the 2–1 group-stage victory over Tanzania in Fés, setting the tone for the Super Eagles’ campaign.
Despite the growing attention on his performances, Iwobi has continued to play down individual praise, insisting the team remains the priority.
I just focus on the team trying to win. It’s nice to get recognition, but the most important thing is that we’re ready for the challenge and we fight for each other,” Iwobi said during the pre-match press conference.
The midfielder, who made his Super Eagles debut in a friendly against DR Congo in Belgium on October 8, 2015, is set to earn his 96th international cap, further cementing his status as one of Nigeria’s most experienced players in the current squad.
Iwobi also highlighted the strong chemistry within the camp, crediting the team’s unity for their recent performances.
There’s big unity here. We are like one big family, on and off the pitch, and you can see that we’re fighting for each other whenever we play, he added.
With Morocco expected to press aggressively on home soil, Nigeria’s ability to control the tempo could once again rest on Iwobi’s composure and creativity in midfield, a prospect that appears to be causing visible unease in the Atlas Lions’ camp.
As the Super Eagles chase a place in the final, all eyes will be on whether Iwobi can once again pull the strings and guide Nigeria through another high-stakes encounter on the road to silverware.
