AFCON 2025: Raphael Onyedika has taken his chance - Over to Eric Chelle

Before Tuesday's clash with Uganda, Club Brugge midfielder Raphael Onyedika was Nigeria’s ignored and AFCON 2025's forgotten man. 

Despite tearing it up week after week for Club Brugge in the Belgian Pro League, the 24-year-old had spent most of the time as a spectator while Wilfred Ndidi and Alex Iwobi ran the show in midfield.

Ninety minutes later, everything changed.

Handed a rare start by Eric Chelle in Nigeria's final Group C match, Onyedika didn't just seize his opportunity, he owned it by leading Nigeria to a big win against the Cranes in Fez. 

Two goals, 97% passing accuracy, and a midfield masterclass that left fans scrambling for superlatives. He didn't knock on the door. He kicked it clean off its hinges.

Now, as the Super Eagles gear up for the knockout rounds, Nigerian football faces its most intriguing selection dilemma: How on earth does Eric Chelle leave this man out?

Onyedika's stats against Uganda read like a FIFA Ultimate Team fever dream: 77 touches, two goals from two shots on target, six out of six long balls completed, 70 passes from 72 attempted, six recoveries, one tackle, one block. 

Oh, and those six passes into the final third that constantly unlocked Uganda's defence. This wasn't just a solid performance. This was a statement.

While the Super Eagles' front line has dazzled throughout the group stage, the midfield has sometimes looked a bit... uncertain. Not Tuesday night. Onyedika was the metronome Nigeria had been missing.

He broke Uganda's press with embarrassing ease, wriggling out of tight spaces in the first half like he had a GPS for open grass. His two goals showed a ruthlessness you don't typically associate with holding midfielders. 

And defensively? He sat like a shield in front of Nigeria's rotated backline, making life comfortable for Ryan Alebiosu and Igoh Ogbu on their starts.

It was complete. Composed. Clinical.

Here's where it gets tricky for the coach. Wilfred Ndidi and Alex Iwobi were rested specifically for the knockout rounds. 

They're fit, experienced, and have been crucial to Nigeria's perfect group stage. Logic says they walk straight back into the starting XI when the Round of 16 begins.

But football isn't always logical. And forms like Onyedika's are impossible to ignore.

"For now I have a little pain in my head on who to choose because everyone in this team can play," Chelle stated after the match.

Translation: You've made this very difficult for me, young man.

If Chelle goes back to his tried-and-tested midfield pairing for the knockout stages, he's banking on experience and tournament sharpness. Fair enough, Ndidi and Iwobi have earned that trust.

But if he benches Onyedika after a performance like that, he risks killing the momentum and rhythm the youngster injected into the team. And in tournament football, rhythm can be everything.

There's also a third option: rotation. Maybe Onyedika forces his way into a midfield three. Maybe Chelle finds a way to fit all his in-form players into the same system. Tactical flexibility could be Nigeria's secret weapon.

One thing's certain, Raphael Onyedika has done absolutely everything asked of him. He's grabbed his chance with both hands, scored twice, and reminded everyone why top European clubs have been circling.

The ball is now firmly in Eric Chelle's court. And honestly? It's a lovely problem to have.