Super Eagles defender Benjamin Fredrick started ahead of Semi Ajayi in Friday’s 3-1 win over Tanzania in Uyo, and with his cramp now cleared, Eric Chelle has a centre-back call to make before Tuesday’s AFCON 2027 qualifier in Zanzibar.
The Brentford defender partnered Calvin Bassey in the middle of a reshaped back four, with Ola Aina moved to left-back and Abdullahi Bewene on the right for his first competitive game for Nigeria.
Both centre-backs finished the game with cramp. Chelle said on Saturday that Bassey and Fredrick were in good physical condition afterwards, as reported by ThisDay, so both are available for the return game.
A start that said plenty about Chelle’s thinking
Ajayi has been one of the steadiest names in Nigeria’s defence, which made Friday’s team sheet notable. Complete Sports’ Adeboye Amosu put it plainly in his assessment of the game, writing that Fredrick was:
Handed the starting spot ahead of the dependable and consistent Semi Ajayi
Amosu, writing for Complete Sports, judged that Fredrick justified the selection. Afrik-Foot also described it as a decent game on his return to the starting line-up, while noting that Bassey’s defending was questionable at times.
Tanzania’s only goal came on 32 minutes, after Alhassan Yusuf’s early opener, before Tolu Arokodare’s second-half double settled the game.
Analysis: Fredrick has the edge, but Zanzibar is a different test
On the evidence of Uyo, Fredrick has done enough to keep his place. He was picked for a reason, he did his job, and dropping him after a win would send the wrong message to a young defender Chelle clearly rates.
The case for Ajayi rests on the conditions rather than on Friday. An away qualifier, in a group where a draw could prove costly, is the kind of game where experience in the box counts, and that is Ajayi’s strength.
There is also the question of balance. With Bewene new to competitive football at this level and Aina playing on his less familiar side, Chelle may want at least one centre-back with long experience of away qualifiers.
Our read is that Fredrick keeps the shirt if Chelle keeps the same back four. If the coach changes the full-backs, Ajayi becomes the more likely partner for Bassey, because he would steady a line that has more new parts around it.
Either way, Nigeria go to Zanzibar with a fit pair of centre-backs and a dependable option on the bench. Kick-off on Tuesday is at 14:00 WAT.
