6 Points From 2 Does Not Fool Anyone

The Super Eagles were able to gain maximum points from 2 games as they defeated Liberia and Cape Verde in the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 qualifiers. While many expected the Super Eagles to win these 2 games, the manner in which these games were won leaves a sour taste in the mouth.

Against Liberia, the team played decent enough football even though it was boring and not really incisive especially in the second half. The 2 first half goals by Kelechi Iheanacho basically killed the game off as a contest and I want to believe that the players decided not to exert themselves too much as they had the game under control and did not want to risk sustaining an injury or burning out. 

But if you can excuse the below average performance against Liberia, what we saw on display by the Super Eagles away at Cape Verde is simply unacceptable for a team aspiring to become champions of Africa. 

We often watch friendly games and European/CONMEBOL/ World Cup qualifiers involving countries in Europe or South America and we see the brand of football these teams exhibit, the tactics and the organisation they display be it minnows or the big guns in both continents when there is an international break. 

But when it comes to Nigeria, we rarely see this unless the team is playing a high profile friendly game and players have to raise their game. It’s quite disappointing to see players who can’t string 3 passes without giving up possession. 

Okay so, the team lost 9 first team players for the game against Cape Verde either due to a false positive Covid test or because most of them play in England where clubs have resolved that their players will not be released to play in ‘red listed’ countries due to the quarantine measures they would need to follow upon their return to the UK if they do play. 

I also get that they had to play the game on a synthetic pitch but the line up Gernot Rohr announced was filled with seasoned and experienced first team players save for Chidera Ejuke, Kingsley Michael and Innocent Bonke. Michael and Bonke were debutants and both played in the midfield. Which may explain the lack of good ball distribution, transition and ball retention. 

Abdullahi Shehu and Moses Simon were woeful in their crosses often over hitting or under hitting the ball. Ahmed Musa who made his 100th cap for the Super Eagles was anonymous as usual in the attacking midfield, while the defence as a unit was shaky and could have been punished especially in the last quarter of the game when the team was under the cosh as Cape Verde sought an equaliser.

At the end, the Super Eagles after going behind simply capitalised on 2 defensive errors by the ‘Blue Sharks’ to win 2-1 and claim maximum points. Victor Osimhen pounced on an error made by a Cape Verde defender who made a hash of his clearance and their goalie trying to stop the ball from going into the net presented a gift for Osimhen to blast home. 

The second was an own goal in the second half as another defender over hit a back pass and the ball sailed over the keeper. The keeper’s attempts to stop the ball from crossing the goal line proved futile.

Apart from these howlers, you would struggle to think of any chance the team created. And that is because this was a disjointed display. Bonke was painfully poor, lost possesion easily under the Cape Verdan press while Ejuke and Simon could not take on the opposing full backs and put in dangerous crosses for Osimhen to latch on to. 

Rohr has gotten away with a poor showing here and may well qualify unbeaten for the play offs but if performances like this are repeated during the play offs and we happen to be paired with a half decent team then it is bye bye to Qatar 2022.

Sweet Victory Over Iceland But A Bigger Battle Looms

The Super Eagles in Volgograd on Friday  secured a 2-0 victory over Iceland to lift the mood of football fans in the country and set up a showdown with Argentina on Tuesday 26th of June at 7pm local time.

Leicester City's Ahmed Musa grabbed a brace in the second half to give Nigeria the 3 points and blow the group of death wide open leaving only Croatia guaranteed a place in the round of 16. 

It was a game Nigeria had to avoid losing in order not to be eliminated from the tournament early. Fortunately, Nigeria went one better and achieved a win that effectively puts the fate of the Super Eagles in their own hands.

Super Eagles coach, Gernot Rohr made changes to the starting line up and tweaked the formation by opting to play 3 at the back for this game and handed Kenneth Omeruo a starting shirt alongside Leon Balogun and William Ekong as part of 3 centre backs.

Ahmed Musa was given the nod to start ahead of Alex Iwobi who dropped to the bench while Kelechi Iheanacho started in place of Odion Ighalo.

The Super Eagles again started the game at a slow tempo and were quite abysmal in the first half and registered no single attempt on goal. Iceland on the other hand were much more purposeful and created a few chances which they were unable to convert.

The Super Eagles finally turned up in the second half with Musa giving Nigeria the lead after controlling Victor Moses' low cross and blasting into the roof of the net.

Musa scored his second goal after breaking with pace and rounding off the Iceland keeper and slotting home to give Nigeria a comfortable lead. 

It could have been a nervy last 10 minutes for Nigeria as the VAR ruled correctly that Tyrone Ebuehi had fouled Iceland striker, Finbogason in the 18 yard box but Gylfi Sigurdsson fluffed his lines and blasted his penalty sky high.

This victory over Iceland undoubtedly will give the Super Eagles confidence as they take on Argentina in their last group game. Argentina simply have to beat the Super Eagles to have any hopes of qualifying.

As for the Eagles, a draw with Argentina won't be a bad result unless Iceland record a heavy victory over Croatia who are all but assured a place in the second round. 

How should the Super Eagles approach the Argentina game?

It was nice to see how Nigeria dealt comfortably with set pieces in the Iceland encounter. Of course, there were one or two scary moments but over all it was a more assured display from the Nigerian team as a whole when defending set plays. 

Against Argentina, this defensive organisation must be maintained and even more so as we will face a desperate Leo Messi, Kun Aguero and possibly Paulo Dybala as Argentina have to go for broke.

Concentration levels should not drop for a second because it is all Argentina might need to score the crucial goal that may see Argentina through. A lapse in concentration by our defence is what almost gave Iceland a lifeline. The Super Eagles need to stop giving away soft penalties to the opposition. They have already conceded 2 in 2 matches. 

Gernot Rohr is likely to retain the 3-5-2 formation that worked perfectly for the match against Iceland. Will Rohr now go on to pick the same starting 11 that featured against Iceland or would he reshuffle the squad to suit the match strategy for Argentina?

Rohr is likely to adopt tactics designed to frustrate the Argentines and ensure that the team keeps it tight at the back while trying to catch Argentina on the break. Expect the Eagles to do a lot of bus parking as Messi and co begin to ramp up the pressure on the Super Eagles defence as they seek for the goals they need to win and improve their goal difference.

Make no mistake, the Super Eagles will be up against it and  will need to play the game of their lives against Argentina.

Many Super Eagles supporters are optimistic of a victory over Argentina or at least a result that will ensure qualification for the next round after the morale boosting victory over Iceland. It is pertinent to note that Nigeria has played Argentina 4 times at the World Cup and has not recorded a single victory over Argentina losing on all occasions. 

Will the Super Eagles break this hoodoo and advance to the round of 16 or will Argentina end Nigeria's hope of progressing by defeating Nigeria again for a fifth time?

 

Nigeria's Poor Start Not Surprising

Last Saturday in Kaliningrad, the Super Eagles began their World Cup campaign with an unispiring loss to Croatia by going down 2-0 after Oghenekaro Etebo was unfortunate to score an own goal and Luka Modric making the game safe for Croatia by scoring from the penalty spot.

The Super Eagles failed to rise to the occasion in a game Croatia didn't have to get out of second gear to secure an easy victory. 

The Croatians weren't spectacular.  They were functional. Sure they were the better side on the night considering the fact that they were better organised and had more end product even though their goals were somewhat fortuitous. 

And this is where Gernot Rohr should be concerned-a team that weren't great on the night could so comfortably defeat his team. The Super Eagles yet again were toothless going forward and as usual were vulnerable from set pieces. 

On paper, the team looked good. Rohr stuck with the system that proved successful during the qualifiers but has so far proved ineffective when facing elite teams. Playing players outside their best positions might work during qualifiers but they may get exposed at the big stage. 

Abdullahi Shehu was taken to the cleaners on a few occasions in the first half by Ivan Perisic even though he later recovered in the second half but he was no outlet for the Eagles on the right wing when the Eagles attacked because he failed to join the attack or make intelligent runs to support Victor Moses.

The defence did ok but were caught sleeping or sloppy with the goals they conceded directly or indirectly from corner kicks. Etebo was unfortunate to deflect a header going wide into his own net while Ekong ridiculously wrestled down Mario Mandzukic in the penalty box thus drawing a foul which the referee didn't hesitate to penalise. Nigeria was unlucky to get away with wrestling bouts which often occur during set pieces this time.

In midfield, what many suspected would be a problem reared its head again-the lack of creativity. Nigeria failed to create many clear cut chances for Odion Ighalo. The 2 chances that were created for him he could not take them. 

John Mikel Obi who was saddled with the responsibility of creating chances for the forwards was slow going forward. Many feel he has lost the legs to play at this level. However, it is more likely that he still hasn't found his best form after being out for a while. Etebo and Wilfred Ndidi did ok. Where Nigeria struggled was in creativity and ball possession.

Alex Iwobi was ineffective on the wings and in the next game against Iceland he should be moved into central midfield. He  would certainly do more than Mikel would probably do if Mikel's performance against Croatia is the yardstick by which we are to judge Mikel's current form.

Rohr is faced with a problem. If Iwobi is more suited to central or attacking midfield it means the team will be short of wingers. His decision not to replace Moses Simon who is out due to injury with another winger leaves Nigeria with only Ahmed Musa and Victor Moses as wingers. 

Rohr is likely to retain Iwobi on the left against Iceland. If that's the case, then Mikel has to step up his game against Iceland and Argentina if the Eagles are to have any chance of getting out of the group. Chances have to be created for whoever plays as the striker. Whoever the striker is, he has to be clinical. 

Kelechi Iheanacho should be given a chance to lead the attack. Or be made to play on the wings and Iwobi moved centrally. The full backs should join the attack when the Eagles are on the front foot and make good enough crosses to trouble the opposition. 

Tyrone Ebuehi should come in place of Shehu. Shehu is decent when defending but offers little going forward. Tyrone who is a natural full back has shown he is capable of offering something going forward. Nigeria needs all the creativity it can muster.

This defeat to Croatia has made qualification out of Group D a Herculean task but by no means impossible. Rohr has to be bold to make the changes to bring the best out of the team. If he sticks to the same starting 11 with similar tactics and Nigeria gets knocked out then he should be shown the exit door.