Arokodare gives fitness update ahead of Madagascar clash

Tolu Arokodare, the 25-year-old striker, has admitted he is still working to fully recover his fitness before Nigeria's Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. Arokodare scored off the bench for Ajax against Excelsior on Saturday, coming on at the 62nd minute and netting within two minutes. However, he revealed that he was still feeling the effects of an illness that had kept him out of Ajax’s previous game against Willem II due to sickness.

"You could see after five or six minutes that I was hunched over because I was tired. I needed this match to realize that I am not yet 100 per cent fit. I still feel weak," Arokodare said. Despite his brief impact, Arokodare will need to regain full fitness before returning to Nigeria’s national team. The Super Eagles face Madagascar in their opening qualifier on September 25 in Uyo, followed by a match against Guinea-Bissau on September 29.

Arokodare’s strong performance at Ajax has strengthened his case for a prominent role under coach Éric Chelle, but he insists he must first recover fully before focusing fully on the national team.