Bewene stakes claim to Nigeria’s right-back role in Tanzania win

Nigeria defender Ibrahim Abdullahi Bewene strengthened his case to retain the Super Eagles’ right-back position after an impressive first competitive start in the 3-1 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying victory over Tanzania in Uyo.

The result moved Nigeria to six points in the 2027 AFCON qualifying standings, one point behind Equatorial Guinea. Bewene, who plays for Banik Ostrava in Czechia, was selected ahead of the more experienced Nottingham Forest defender Ola Aina, who moved to the opposite side of the defence.

Coach Eric Chelle has continued to test different options as he searches for greater balance across the team. His decision to hand Bewene the role appeared vindicated, with the young defender handling the demands of a difficult position and contributing to Nigeria’s second-half recovery.

Bewene had already impressed Chelle during recent friendlies. He played the full match when Nigeria faced opponents in Warsaw, Poland, on 3 June. He then featured in two further warm-up games, including the 2-2 draw in Warsaw and a 3-3 match in Russia, in which he provided an assist.

Those performances earned him Chelle’s confidence and led to his competitive debut. His start against Tanzania meant he had made two starts, been named player of the match twice and recorded one assist in his recent run of appearances.

The Taifa Stars posed much of their early threat from wide areas, but Bewene remained composed and was also willing to move forward. He combined effectively with US-based midfielder Alhassan Yusuf when Nigeria sought to build attacks from the right.

Tanzania took advantage of a lapse involving Nigeria captain Wilf Ndidi to equalise, leaving the back four of Bewene, Benjamin Frederick, Calvin Bassey and Aina under pressure. However, Bewene responded strongly after the restart and played a significant part in helping Nigeria regain control.

Chelle resisted the temptation to replace him with Birmingham City right-back Bright Osayi-Samuel, who did not need to warm up on the touchline. Instead, the manager kept faith with his surprise starter as Nigeria’s defence worked to contain Tanzania and protect the lead.

Substitute Tolu Arokodare secured the points with Nigeria’s third goal, completing a 3-1 win that lifted the mood among the home supporters.

Bewene received a rating of 7.9, according to the bookmakers, making him the second-highest-rated player behind Arokodare, who was awarded 8.9.

The performance has given Chelle another option in a position that has troubled the Super Eagles. Nigeria are expected to use Bewene again in Tuesday’s reverse fixture in Dar-es-Salaam, although further decisions will follow as the 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign continues.

His progress could also raise the possibility of a move from Banik Ostrava to a bigger club in one of Europe’s leading leagues, which may help him establish himself further at international level.