Predicting Nigeria's starting line-up in final showdown with Ghana

The Super Eagles of Nigeria face the make-or-mar match that determines if Africa's most populous nation will be represented at the FIFA World Cup for the seventh time in its history.

With the tie in the balance after the first leg in Kumasi ended in a barren draw, the Augustine Eguavoen-led Super Eagles are condemned to win in any way they can on Tuesday at the Moshood Abiola Stadium, Abuja. 

Eguavoen set up in a familiar 4-2-3-1 formation for the first leg with his biggest call in the holding midfield position where Lorient's Innocent Bonke was a surprise starter for the Super Eagles.

Ahead of the decisive second leg, Eguavoen is saddled with the responsibility of not only fielding the right players but also figuring out the proper formation to knock out the visiting Black Stars of Ghana.

The 56-year-old interim manager must show his tactical acumen and recognise that a change in formation is necessary to get the best out of this star-studded side. 

Such change in formation would mean slight changes in personnel too, but all the better because the Super Eagles squad possesses strength in depth so why not take advantage of it. 

Thus, this is Nigeria's predicted starting line-up ahead of the second leg fixture against Ghana on Tuesday.

Omonia's Francis Uzoho was solid in between the sticks for the Super Eagles in the first leg and there is no need to change that.

The only conversation to be had is if Uzoho can do enough in the return leg against the Ghanaians to displace the ill Maduka Okoye from the first-choice goalkeeper spot.

Nigeria's defence against the Black Stars during the first leg was as solid as it could be. The four-man wall of Ola Aina, Leon Balogun, William Troost-Ekong, and Zaidu Sanusi adequately marshalled the Ghanaian attack in Kumasi. 

While the same brief would be given to the defenders ahead of the return leg, there certainly is room for improvement and this is where the change might come. 

A straight swap at left-back with Rangers' Calvin Bassey in for FC Porto's Zaidu Sanusi would markedly improve the Super Eagles' chances of bombing forward in search of the much-needed goals.

This is not as a slight to the FC Porto man but just an acceptance that Bassey can bring more to the team in the attacking sense whilst maintaining the same immaculate defending that Sanusi gives on the left flank.

A back four containing marauding fullbacks in Aina and Bassey is exactly the kind of pace and output Eguavoen needs in Abuja with a Super Eagles side condemned to score as many goals as possible in any case.

The Black Stars of Ghana overran the duo of Innocent Bonke and Joe Aribo in the first leg. While the Rangers' man came to terms with the physicality as the match progressed, he did not last to the hour mark. 

Bonke on the other hand was out of sorts on a rare start for the Super Eagles, ambling about before he picked up an injury in the second half. While the Lorient man might be fit now, it is obvious he cannot match the Ghanaians for either guile or skill.

Thus, a four-man midfield featuring a double-pivot might be just the tactic that Eguavoen turns to to wrestle control from the coordinated Ghanaian midfield. 

A stronger and more street-wise base of Oghenekaro Etebo and Joe Aribo should disrupt Thomas Partey's dominance of the midfield while Aribo can always step forward as the more attacking option of the duo.

Moses Simon and either Emmanuel Dennis or Ademola Lookman should start in the wide positions with the brief to get crosses inside the box or tuck into the half-spaces when either Aina or Bassey overlap into attacking positions on the wings.

The ball-playing capabilities of Simon and Lookman should create the link between the defence and attack that was so visibly missing in the first leg on Friday.

The biggest change Eguavoen could make against the Ghanaians is deploying a twin-striker attack of Victor Osimhen and Odion Ighalo. These two are unarguably the best goalscorers within the Super Eagles squad.

The chances of Nigeria scoring automatically doubles with both strikers on the pitch and in this showdown, that is all that counts. The goals. 

Francis Uzoho; Ola Aina, Leon Balogun, William Troost-Ekong, Calvin Bassey; Oghenekaro Etebo, Joe Aribo, Moses Simon, Ademola Lookman; Odion Ighalo, Victor Osimhen.