Saints ace Joe Aribo reveals the one thing he enjoyed about the Super Eagles at the AFCON

The previous Glasgow Rangers midfielder appeared at his first worldwide match for the African giants earlier this yr

Southampton playmaker Joe Aribo has shared one of many positives he took away from a disappointing CAF Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon in January.

Aribo, who made his debut for Nigeria shortly after AFCON 2019 in Egypt, was one of many Tremendous Eagles’ key gamers on the 2021 version of the Championship.

The 26-year-old featured prominently as Nigeria defeated favourites Egypt, Sudan, and Guinea-Bissau to complete prime of their group.

However the Tremendous Eagles’ journey was halted within the Spherical of 16 following a surprising loss to unfancied Tunisia.

Regardless of Nigeria’s disappointing exit within the knockout section, Aribo believes the AFCON was a stupendous expertise for him to savour.

The Saints ace insists he significantly loved the real brotherhood and friendship among the many Tremendous Eagles gamers on the match.

Talking about what it was wish to expertise a global match, Aribo mentioned, “It was good, even being across the boys.

“Nigeria is a tight-knit group; everyone seems to be pleasant, everybody banters, so it’s actually good to have that and it was a very good expertise.”

EPL: Aribo vs. Ndidi and Iheanacho

On Saturday (right now), Aribo’s Southampton make the journey to the King Energy Stadium to face Brendan Rodgers’ Leicester Metropolis.

The Foxes boast the providers of two of Aribo’s worldwide teammates in striker Kelechi Iheanacho and midfield dynamo Wilfred Ndidi.

Aribo, Ndidi, and Iheanacho have been a part of the Nigerian squad for that AFCON match in Cameroon earlier within the yr.

And after simply becoming a member of Southampton in the summertime, Aribo would face his worldwide teammates for the primary time in a aggressive match.

Requested the way it makes him really feel, the previous Charlton Athletic star mentioned, “It’s going to be actually good. It’s going to be a troublesome take a look at however I’m excited to play in opposition to them, to be up in opposition to them.”

Each Southampton and Leicester Metropolis are but to file a win in two matches performed this time period.

Aribo, approaching in its place, scored his first purpose for the Saints of their 2-2 draw at dwelling to Leeds United final weekend. Leicester have been, on the identical day, on the finish of a 4-2 defeat at Arsenal.

Nonetheless, Aribo doesn’t anticipate a simple encounter in opposition to Brendan Rodgers’ males.

“Leicester are an excellent group, so it isn’t going to be straightforward for us,” the midfielder mentioned.

“However we simply want to stay to the supervisor’s sport plan; our gamers want to show up on the day, and hopefully we are going to get the end result.”

Leicester Metropolis sit in fifteenth place on one level from two matches.

Southampton’s draw in opposition to Leeds United at St. Mary’s Stadium additionally earned them their first level of the marketing campaign, placing them in seventeenth place.

When the 2 sides final met in Premier League motion, Leicester have been victorious 4-1 at King Energy Stadium final season.