Finidi George impressed by Benjamin Tanimu’s Super Eagles debut

Nigeria’s interim head coach, Finidi George, has expressed his satisfaction with the performance of defender Benjamin Tanimu during his debut for the Super Eagles against Ghana on Friday.

The Ihefu FC center-back showcased a solid performance at the back before being substituted for Ademola Lookman 11 minutes before the end of the game.

Finidi revealed that he has been an admirer of Tanimu since his time at Bendel Insurance in the Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL). He explained that injuries to key players provided an opportunity to invite Tanimu to the national team, and the defender seized the chance with his impressive display against Ghana.

“I’m really impressed. He’s a player I had my eye on while he was still at Bendel Insurance, but things didn’t work out then,” Finidi said during the post-match press conference.

“With all the injuries we’ve had, we needed to find a replacement, and I remembered him. He’s been performing well for his club in Tanzania, so I thought, why not give him a chance?”

Acknowledging the challenges of representing the national team for the first time, Finidi praised Tanimu’s overall performance and credited him for his efforts on the field.

“It’s not easy wearing those national colors for the first time, but overall, I think he did well. I’m pleased with his contribution,” Finidi added.

The Super Eagles will now turn their attention to their next fixture against Mali in a post-AFCON friendly game, where Tanimu will look to build on his promising debut performance.