The Super Eagles defeated Liberia 2-0 in their fifth Group C game of the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers at Grand Stade de Tangier, in Tangier Morocco on Saturday, Completesports.com reports.
Goals from Victor Osimhen and Ahmed Musa, both from the penalty spot, secured the win for the Eagles.
In the group’s other game, Cape Verde came from a goal down to beat Central African Republic 2-1 to stay in contention. CAR took an early lead when Isaac Ngoma scored in the 11th minute and held out for the remainder of the first half. Cape Verde returned stronger after the recess and equalised through Julio Tavares’ 51st minute goal, while Stopira netted the winner in the 75th minute.
The results means the Eagles remain top on 12 points and Cape Verde are second on 10 points.
Both Liberia and Central African Republic, on three and four points respectively, are out in the race to advance to the final round of the qualifiers.
Also Read: Live Blogging: Liberia vs Nigeria – 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers
The Eagles will host Cape Verde on Tuesday at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Tuesday and will need just a point to qualify while the visitors will need an outright win.
The Eagles had the first chance in the fourth minute through Osimhen, but he was flagged offside.
In the 15th minute the Eagles got the first goal from the penalty spot thanks to Osimhen after
Iheanacho was fouled inside the box by Lone Star’s goalkeeper, Boison Wynney De Souza.
Liberia were awarded a freekick in a dangerous area on 26 minutes but the effort failed to trouble Maduka Okoye in goal.
Just three minutes later Jamilu Collins thought he had doubled the Eagles’ lead but was flagged for offside.
In the 32nd minute Osimhen had a good chance to make it 2-0 only to see his effort go over the bar.
In the 40th and 43rd minutes the Lone Star went close but were denied by good saves from Okoye.
The home team continued to search for the equalizer but were denied following good defending by Leon Balogun.
Just one minute into the second half the Eagles almost doubled their lead but Osimhen saw his chance hit the side net.
In the 50th minute Moses Simon over hit an intended pass for Osimhen who was in a good position to score.
The Eagles made their first change of the game with the returning Chidera Ejuke replacing Alex Iwobi.
In the 73rd minute Chidozie Awaziem tried a shot outside the 18 yard box which went over the crossbar.
And in the 90th minute the Eagles doubled their lead as Musa scored from the penalty spot following the Liberia goalkeeper’s foul on Osimhen.
By James Agberebi
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COMMENTS
Congrats Nigeria, congrats SE, congrats Rohr… But let’s be frank it’s becoming a source of worry that super eagles can’t string 2 or more complete decent passes together these days
Nigerians, we expect too much!
I mean, Liberians also had a team of 11 players on the pitch and they are in for the game as well. Do you just expect us to walk past them while they look on?
Fine, the style of play is not what we were expecting but they controlled the game totally. Iwobi had a bad day, admitted but that’s football.
Liberians were physical, defensive and waiting to catch us up on counter attack just like what C.A.R did and the team guided against it.
Those that are ‘commonising’ Liberia, don’t forget that Equatorual Guinea defeated Tunisia today.
“The likes of Morocco, organised teams…. will beat super eagles”. Na so una talk am the year 2013 against CIV. Una even arrange flight ticket for the team before the final match.
Una forget say every game nor dey be the same. Musa even score penalty, una still dey vex for am. What if he missed it Kwanu. For those complaining of Chukwueze, he could not have held back Liberian wingers as Simon did and you know what that means for their game plan. Let’s encourage the coach and the team, enough of the complain.
Na so we complain for Jonathan when we not come fit dey talk for Buhari even as things are going worst!
A certain human in this forum called Osimhen’s performance trash, fellow complete sporters help me out because i am confused if we watched the same match, because i saw a performance with few mistakes
Osimhen was the best in the game!!
How?
Osimhen would have been allowed to take the second penalty as a reward for his fighting spirit.
Musa should not have been allowed to play that penalty……he didn’t justify him introduction……he could not make any meaningful touch of the ball……lost possession carelessly….. only thing he did was converting a penalty he had no single hand in creating……Kudos to Ejuke for that killer pass to Osimhen……Kudos to SE for their fighting spirit…..We will finish the job on Tuesday.
The priority was to score the penalty which was effectively done. Good penalty. The team objectives is more important than any individual goals. I am even impressed that we have more penalties taker. We might need it one day.
Who did we offend that our coach is Rohr? Rohr is far from a coach that should be coaching Super Eagles.
Iwobi is a confirmed crap, highly over rated
Iwobi is a baller and he is going through a hard period in his career so spare him. He has played well for us in past games so relax..
3 important points but total lack of cohesive play. How come small teams that don’t have out caliber of players can put 2 to 3 passes together and play more purposeful than us. CAR parked the bus in Lagos but also did the same in cape verde but Cape verde won… There is something wrong that needs to be tweaked in our team or are we about to realize that we actually have average players who are over-rated apart from the likes of Osimhen and chukwueze. Only time will tell.
SE players are not overhyped……they are super players in their club sides but they become cautious playing under a conservative coach at national team level…..Rhor respects his opponent too much no matter how small they are……He doesn’t encourage all out attack and high pressing game like most Germans……We will qualify for all the major tournaments under Rhor but we might not be able win any trophy under him……. winning a major tournament takes Guts,it takes willingness to take risk,it takes attacking play…..it takes doing what no other team can do in the tournament…..it takes wanting it more than any other teams and it must show in how you play.
Not only a conservative coach but a terrible one who has nothing to offer.
The quality of opposition did not help matters. Our players raise their games when they play the big bois. Rohr is a FEARFUL coach and I look forward to the day God will separate him from Super Eagles. HOW MANY CLEAR CUT CHANCES DID WE CREATE TODAY?
I’m just clueless as to what is wrong I knw we have good players but today’s display was just not it. I understand being cautious but man Awaziem Aribo, and Osimhen were the standout, Ndidi did well but just coming back from injury so maybe he is not 100% but we can see small teams playing coordinated football since. Since this qualifiers started we haven’t played convincingly. To be honest I think our best match was away to cape verde even the win against CAR still had its flaws and missed chances.
Congrats to our dear SE n fans worldwide come tuesday we will settle d matter,let’s tell ourselves d bitter truth if after five years of bonding including playing at d world cup n nations cup we still play so poorly like today’s game it’s obvious we don’t ve a coach n have only few good individual players,
God bless Nigeria
This team will not go beyond the final round when faced with quality opposition like Morocco. Missing opportunities that comes their way. A player like Osinmeh always missing opportunities. We can only score through penalties. Bad coaching or bad players. If a play on stage is bad,do you change the script or the dramatic personnel? Something is definitely wrong with the team.They are always having negative possession. Possession that cannot be translated to goals. A SHOCKER IS COMING ON TUESDAY:IF THIS TEAM CONTINUES THE WAY THEY PLAYED TODAY,Cape Verde will get that winner (ALone goal which Nigeria cannot cancel) as they will be looking for penalties that will never come.
Boring, boring Nigeria.
Rohr has delivered the 3 points. But there is no joy here. Watching the SE today was like a hungry person being served with tasteless, flavorless food. You have no choice but to swallow it down, but there is no pleasure in it.
A disjointed, uncoordinated, spineless, hapless performance.
Osimhen battled all day upfront. He needed to do it all by himself, because help was coming from nowhere. Ejuke came in and tried to assist him, brought some much needed spark and invention into the game.
Star no be for mouth. Our stars need to show they are stars on the pitch.
We’ve seen 5 consecutive games where our attack has been piss poor. YES, PISS POOR.
Running out of ideas in the final third, inability to string passes together, no sense of urgency.
If we play like this against Cape Verde in Lagos, I fear the worst.
Interestingly, Benin is currently topping group J, and the big surprise – Equatorial Guinea are toe to toe with Tunisia in group B, and just might win that group.
Herein lies our possible salvation.
Based on our performance in the last 5 games, I believe that the only way we will have a good chance to make it to the world cup is if we draw any of these 2 teams in the final round. Note that I say A GOOD CHANCE. No guarantees for our team, even against Benin or Equatorial Guinea.
If we meet any other team, we likely will not make it.
@AKP thought you said your players can play without being coached so why are you blaming the coach for not playing attractive football? Your individually brilliant players could have done that themselves. Instead of blaming your lazy players for not showing enough seriousness in approaching the match you are here blaming the coach. Tell me one players out of them who really show the level with which they play in their clubsides today. I don’t know if the coach hold their leg or they are not the same players who have played better in the previous matches than today?
@tayo it is the job of the coach to make the players play attractive football…….It’s is the job of the coach to unleash the players and bring out the best in them…….It is the job of the coach to give the players confidence…….It is the job of the coach to give the players a winning mentality…..It is the job of the coach to bring out the beast in his players…….It is the job of the coach to put pressure on the players and make them compete at a higher level…….When Rhor was giving assurance to his first team players and even asking on national TV who he will bench for new players what did you expect?……. Nigerians do better in a competitive environment just like in their club sides hence their performance at club level…… You can’t give shirt assurance to your first team players and expect them to play at their best na……Not in Nigeria.
This onyibo wall na calamity for those who understand football…ekong and balogun na calamity against a better opposition ooo. We need cover up those positions ASAP. Moses simon,iheanacho needs to be more serious, otherwise make Dem chop bench small.
For those saying the team did not play well and as a result will falter against better team as they called it well, SE have played against many big team and they were not disgrace. Yes it was not a top notch performance today but the opposition did not do better as well,so why the fuss? Bring any team Nigeria will qualify and will not be disgrace in the competition proper.
I used the word Boring Line up as a Nigerian because I know the strength of our national team and a certain Liberian-Nigerian tried to talk me down. All this mixed Nigerians thinks they know or love our national team than us but that’s in their dream. I don’t want to sound excited because watching that match was not a surprise due to line up against a team rated 150 on fifa ranking playing at a neutral venue. Hmmm and the substitutions was not different from the mediocre approach we know this man for except for Ejuke. May God help us because at the end of the day if Nigeria losses so many of us can not sleep at night even though we expected whatever outcome. My question is very simple can’t Rohr watch Hansi Flick or Pep and gather confidence to play to the strength of his team? I’m asking because I know we have the players to deliver the goodies so coach Rohr must sit up because at this point I won’t be ready to watch the world cup without Team Nigeria. Congratulations for the 3points against Liberia I sleep well tonight!
Gbam.
Nigeria didn’t even have one shot on goal while libaria has one. Let not be deceived by the result. We didn’t play like a team. Against the worst defense in the group, we couldn’t have one shot on goal. It’s a shame. Rohr or whatever ha calls himself dont even know how to play the 5.3.2 system. The wing backs are played by attack minded fullbacks and not rigid ones like Colin’s. Ola aina should have been used and that system didn’t give us a good game. To be honest, we will be put to the sword of we play like this in the next and final round of qualifiers. The only effective runs into their vital areas we had was through the right as all the balls Awaziem was busy supplying to the left was a waste it either ends up coming back or lost. The match wasn’t a delight to watch in my own opinion.
I don’t know if some of you actually watched the match or you are commenting base on what you read.
How is the Onyibo wall a calamity in today’s match Biko?
Infact, ekong almost scored from a corner kick if not for the keeper’s leg. Kelechi and Simon did well to the rythm of the game.
@ AKP, permit me to say that ‘attractive football’ depends on the team you are playing. If you watched the match, you will understand what am saying. Yes, their was no flair but our opponents were not better neither were they up for that as they were defense minded waiting for counter attack. We guided against this by carefully controlling and managing the game knowing what is at stake.
Talking about gingering the team and speaking confidence; oga, upon all the ginger and confidence speech / boasting by the liberian coach, how e be Las Las??
Let’s appreciate and encourage our own bikonu,we can critize and address certain areas but total condemnation is uncalled for. God bless you all.
Oga HMC,
Can you beat your chest and say with your church mind that you liked the shambolic, lack lustre and very I-dont-care football you saw today from the Eagles. No sense of direction or purpose of any form, misplaced passes and aimless kicks all over the place. Guys are talking about the oyinbo wall, yes, they have every right to do so, if indeed you saw today’s match and not the highlights, there were about 3 to 4 instances where indecision, lack of precise judgement and schoolboy errors in ball controls by the trio of Awaziem, Ekong and Balogun almost gifted the Liberians a goal yet again just like it happened in the last minute of the game against CAR in Lagos.
I want to believe in as much as these our boys are not super quality like most of us think but the guy on the bench can inspire and instill confidence and some fireworks in them such that any player who is not ready to give it all should honorably excuse himself for players who are ready to leave it all on the pitch. Even freekicks have been crazily poorly executed.
I really tire joor
Lobatan thank you sir. One was even saying the team did not have a single short on target. What of shot that hit the wood work, Ekong shot that was blocked or Awaziem shot etc You can see how terrible some people are?
@tayo;
Leave @Vitalis, sure his emotions got the better of him.
Bro, but let’s be sincere with ourselves without any form of bias, I am a die-hard supporter of GR based of on where we were before he arrived but truth be told, it seems the team has stagnated under him in recent times (why? I cannot really fathom). Some of the players seems so comfy now such that they just get on the pitch and do next to nothing and stay in there for 2/3rds of the entire game and the man on the bench cannot take decisive actions. Bro, this decline has been happening and I just hope and pray we don’t have a serious catastrophic meltdown soon.
Personally, I suffer so much when the SE loose which I do not ever pray for…