Aribo started Nigeria's first group games, assisting them to wins in opposition to Egypt and Sudan that sealed their vicinity inside the closing 16 with a suit to spare.
The midfielder was then rested for their final 2-zero win over Guinea-Bissau as meantime Super Eagles boss Augustine Eguavoen sought to preserve Aribo sparkling for Sunday's ultimate-sixteen tie in opposition to Tunisia.
"When I referred to as him up for the primary time, he scored a purpose as quickly as he got here into the side," recollects Gernot Rohr, the veteran German train who gave Aribo his international debut however changed into sacked ultimate month.
Aribo, who changed into born in London, made his bow for Nigeria in September 2019, not lengthy after becoming a member of Rangers from Charlton Athletic.
"It changed into a friendly match in Ukraine after the final Africa Cup of Nations whilst we had been searching at new gamers," Rohr, who took Nigeria to 1/3 region in 2019 in Egypt, tells AFP.
"He played definitely properly in that first healthy and remained in the starting line-up from then on as long as he turned into match, due to the fact he has had a few injury troubles and had Covid."
The sixty eight-12 months-vintage Rohr enjoys speaking about the players he labored with at the same time as in fee of Nigeria, and there's no bitterness approximately the way of his departure just before this Cup of Nations.
"No, these are my boys," he laughs, before describing the 25-12 months-old Aribo as "lovely, very well mannered. He listens, he's pretty reserved and does not communicate plenty, but he can do it, if he has to."
- Box to field -
Aribo laid on Kelechi Iheanacho's winner in opposition to Egypt in Garoua and might have had more assists had the Nigerian strikers' completing been better.
