Football
Dami Ugbane, Special to ESPN 7y

Nigeria vs. Cameroon -- Key individual battles

Nigeria and Cameroon face off at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo on Friday, in the first of two crucial FIFA World Cup qualifiers in three days.

What could the coaches -- Gernot Rohr and Hugo Broos respectively -- be thinking tactically when both teams renew their rivalry? Here are five key individual battles the bosses will be keeping in mind.

Ikechukwu Ezenwa vs. Vincent Aboubakar

Nigeria goalkeeper Ikechukwu Ezenwa could not have a trickier baptism of fire as he looks to stake a permanent claim on the Super Eagles number one jersey. The FC Ifeanyi Ubah stopper will be in the direct line of fire of red-hot Vincent Aboubakar, a striker who has already netted four goals in four games for FC Porto this season, including a hat-trick against Moreirense.

Aboubakar is not usually the most potent goal scorer for the Indomitable Lions, with 18 goals in 60 appearances, but he does pick his moments to deliver. A typical example is his AFCON-wining strike against Egypt this year.

Ezenwa needs to earn his pay on the day when faced with the very experienced Aboubakar, but with adequate cover from the defensive duo of William Troost-Ekong and Leon Balogun, he should possibly see out the Aboubakar threat.

Wilfred Ndidi vs. Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting

Two Premier League 'giants' will slug it out in a potentially decisive battle. Leicester City midfielder Wilfred Ndidi will be tasked with the responsibility of man-marking Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, the 6 ft 3in forward from Stoke City who complements his height with pace.

In the absence of Jacques Zoua, who played a withdrawn role behind the main striker during the AFCON triumph in Gabon, Broos is likely to deploy Choupo-Moting, a player more naturally suited for the job.

Ndidi, one of two defensive midfielders to be fielded by Rohr on the day, needs to track the run and movement of the man who will play in the 'hole' for Cameroon. Failure to do so will afford both Choupo-Moting and Aboubakar an easy linkup, an outcome which could be damaging on Nigeria's defence.

Elderson Echiejile vs. Christian Bassogog

Christian Bassogog embodies the Indomitable Lions' biggest threat moving forward, and he could be in for a profitable day against Elderson Echiejile, a player, who despite earning 53 international caps for Nigeria, has never really convinced his critics.

China-based Bassogog is a player blessed with stamina, skill, and pace, qualities he will fancy using to his advantage against left back Echiejile, who is not known to be the quickest defender, and often displaying poor positional sense.

John Mikel Obi vs. Sebastien Siani

John Mikel Obi has recovered just in time from a long injury layoff to make the Super Eagles squad for this game. The veteran captain has rolled back the years in recent outings for the Super Eagles, with Rohr preferring to utilise him as his most advanced midfielder in a three-man setup, a decision which saw him score in a FIFA World Cup qualifier against Algeria earlier this year.

His fitness level could be put to test when he comes up against Sebastien Siani, a hardworking midfielder who covers just about every blade of grass on the pitch. Mikel is a player renowned for his intelligence on the ball but not his mobility, and he could be in for a huge test against the 30-year-old KV Oostende man, who only made his international debut in 2015 against Nigeria, but has developed into the driving force in the Indomitable Lions midfield.

Odion Ighalo vs. Fabrice Ondoa

Striker Odion Ighalo has been handed an international lifeline as a result of his recent goal-scoring form in the Chinese Super League with Changchun Yatai. The Nigerian forward has good memories of facing Cameroon, netting the second of his three international goals against the Indomitable Lions in 2015.

He comes face-to-face with an inspired Fabrice Ondoa in goal for Cameroon, a young goalkeeper who is the latest in the line of successful Cameroonian shot-stoppers. A major weakness for Ondoa is his lack of height, and his questionable ball distribution could be his Achilles heel.

Ighalo needs to pressure the goalkeeper at every given opportunity, which could force him to make mistakes, and the striker must ensure he is clinical when presented with even half a chance.

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