West Brom: Nathaniel Chalobah sends message to Semi Ajayi after Nigeria AFCON development
Nathaniel Chalobah sent a three-word message to his West Brom teammate Semi Ajayi after his semi-final success at AFCON with Nigeria.
The centre-back played a crucial role for the Super Eagles as they defeated South Africa 4-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw on Wednesday (7 February).
Ajayi will now famously feature for his nation as they take on tournament hosts Ivory Coast again in the final on Sunday (11 February) after they defeated DR Congo 1-0 in the other semi-final.
Baggies star Ajayi, whom Carlos Corberan lauded “extraordinary” (Express & Star, 9 February) for his performances at the competition, shared images of their win and subsequent celebrations against South Africa on Instagram (9 February), with Chalobah sending a message writing: “Let’s go bro.”
Ajayi could be welcomed back at The Hawthorns an international champion
It is fair to say the Nigerian media could certainly not hold back on their praise of the West Brom defender after yet another stunning individual showing for his nation.
The Super Eagles have not conceded a single open-play goal since the opening game of the competition against Equatorial Guinea.
Ajayi has proven every bit a part of that success and it’s that recipe that leads several teams on to become continental champions and Nigeria have a massive chance of achieving that if their defensive masterclasses continue.
There was one instance in the game where a South Africa attacker thought he was through on goal 1 on 1 with the goalkeeper but for Ajayi’s last-ditch intervention, speeding up to him before forcing well wide of the Nigeria goal.
It’s that type of defending that has made him a fan favourite at The Hawthorns for West Brom and Ajayi has carried that forward on one of the grandest international stages.
And his West Brom teammates could well be welcoming him back as an international champion which is unprecedented at the club but one which Ajayi will take huge pride in.
Carlos Corberan could well have an international champion on his hands by the time Sunday draws to a close — a huge boost for the Baggies in their own aspirations this season.
In other West Brom news, Tony Brown has shared his reaction after what he saw from one Albion player in the recent Black Country derby.
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