Augustine Eguavoen has explained the rationale behind his decision to make as many as eight changes to his starting lineup against Guinea-Bissau in Nigeria's final group game at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.

It is believed that the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations winner made those changes to avoid burnout in the squad as well as to prevent some of the players such as Ola Aina and Joe Aribo picking up yellow or red cards that would have seen then miss the important round of 16 clash versus Tunisia.

Back home, Eguavoen has been on the receiving end of a lot of criticism for the defeat to the north Africans, with several fans and the media questioning his substitutions.

Of his four substitutions, it is thought Iheanacho got replaced because he was walking a disciplinary tightrope, Awoniyi and Chukwueze subbed out because they were not pulling their weight and the final one, Musa for Aribo, was to have an extra striker as his side was changing the game.

Eguavoen had kind words for second half sub Peter Olayinka, saying the Slavia Prague winger followed his tactical instructions.

"If we didn't bring in players like Olayinka and co, we wouldn't have the courage to bring him in today so having seen him in that game we could tell that if it's time to bring him he will perform," Eguavoen told reporters.

"Everybody in this hall will agree with me that he was chasing down people, created chances, balls behind him, we just gave him specific instructions and he did well.

"Mind you every other player that has come to the competition is qualified or good enough to be in the team so changing a team in that game against Guinea-Bissau was deliberate to see if we have to call on a player we don't have to think twice and that's what exactly we did today".

Olayinka, in what was his fourth game as a substitute in Nigeria colours, replaced Awoniyi with half an hour left to play.

Igho Kingsley