AFCON 2021: I enjoy partnership with Ekong, says Omeruo

Kenneth Omeruo has revealed that he enjoys playing with William Troost-Ekong at the heart of the Super Eagles defence in the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon.

The CD Leganes centre back saw himself climb up the pecking order of central defenders after Rangers ace Leon Balogun withdrew from the roster as a result of injury and his other rival for a starting spot Chidozie Awaziem is nursing an ankle injury.

Omeruo and Troost-Ekong were brilliant against Egypt, helping Maduka Okoye to keep a clean sheet on his Africa Cup of Nations debut. Both also paired on Saturday when Nigeria hammered Sudan 3-1 to qualify for the round of 16 with a game left.

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The former Golden Eaglets and Flying Eagles star suffered a knock in the closing minutes of the win against the seven-time Africa Cup of Nations but participated fully in all the training sessions leading up to the clash against Sudan, putting him in contention to continue to partner Troost-Ekong in central defence.

“It was easy. He’s someone I’ve played with a couple of times. We played together, trained together so it wasn’t difficult. We understand ourselves,” Omeruo, 2013 AFCON winner told NFF TV.

“In the game we knew we had to talk to ourselves and it was important to have coverage behind.

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Omeruo was also a member of the squad which won the bronze at the 2019 AFCON held in Egypt.