A team is as good as its strikers because their goals decide the outcome of an encounter.

Strikers are as good as the playmaker who shoulders the responsibility of creating goalscoring opportunities.

In short, a playmaker plays a major role in determining whether his team win a game or not.

The Super Eagles are yet to produce a stunning display at the ongoing AFCON tournament, no thanks to the absence of an in-form playmaker.

So much was expected from Alex Iwobi, not just because of his ties with the legendary playmaker Jay-jay Okocha, but because of the quality he’s made of.

The Super Eagles supporters were unhappy with Gernot Rohr when he decided to feature the Arsenal man from the wing in the first group B fixture against Burundi. They claimed that the manager was ‘wasting the youngster’s playmaking ability’

Yielding to the fans demands, Rohr uncharacteristically dropped Mikel Obi from his starting lineup to feature the 23-year-old Arsenal man as an attacking midfielder in the second group game against Guinea.

Apart from two or three occasions in which he showed glimpse of his qualities, Iwobi was absolutely quiet throughout the day.

His present form has left so much to be desired and he’s far from the player many Nigerians want to see in Egypt.

Meanwhile, Saturday’s mouthwatering clash with Cameroon is the best opportunity and the best time for him to live up to his billing.

He didn’t need to score too many goals before making a statement during the encounter, he only needs to be lively because Odion Ighalo will rely on his defense-splitting passes while Ahmed Musa will count on his through balls to score.

Casting our minds back to 2004 AFCON tournament, it was Okocha’s free kick that inspired the Super Eagles to a 2-1 victory over the Indomitable Lions.

Saturday is the perfect time for Iwobi to emulate his uncle’s heroic achievement by helping Gernot Rohr’s men get past the defending Champions.

Ibukun Italoye