Former Nigeria international Sam Sodje said the Super Eagles were not convincing, despite recording a 2-1 win against Sierra Leone in Thursday’s Group A 2023 AFCON qualifier in Abuja.
Jose Peseiro secured his first win in a competitive game as Eagles coach following the win against the Leone Stars.
Sierra Leone took the lead less than 15 minutes into the game through Jonathan Morsay before Alex Iwobi equalised a few minutes later.
And with five minutes to the end of the first half Osimhen made it 2-1 to help the Eagles seal the three points.
Also Read: Aribo: Super Eagles Will Get Better Under Peseiro
And reflecting on the game Sodje speaking on Brila FM said:”I’m happy we won and congratulations to the new coaching crew but to be honest we must stop conceding goals left right and centre. We must be winning games convincingly.”
Sodje expressed confidence in new head coach Jose Peseiro positing he will surely come good.
“We need to give the coach the benefit of the doubt because he is still new in the job and he will get better.”
The Eagles next qualifying match is against Sao Tome and Principe in Morocco on Monday.
In Group A’s other game Guinea-Bissau came from a goal down to thrash Sao Tome and Principe 5-1.
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COMMENTS
I didn’t watch the game for that reason I got nothing really to say but must everybody condenm the Team after every outing? Sodje I can’t even remember ur Solid appearance while in this team.
Nigeria Vs Sierra Leone: Review
If fans had expected an uplifting, rambunctious and mind-blowing performance from the Super Eagles against Sierra Leone yesterday, what they got was slightly more mundane.
Still, Nigeria emerged victorious with a slim 2:1 victory to hand Peseiro his first win as Super Eagles coach albeit in underwhelming circumstances.
Make no mistake about it: the Super Eagles still have a long way to go in producing performances that will begin to heal the wounds of recent damaging disappointments. Yesterday’s victory was good for the record books but bad for lifting morale.
Coach Peseiro had said his philosophy was ring-fenced around attacking football, so one would have been forgiven for thinking that the Portuguese gaffer was the head coach of Sierra Leone early in the match. Because it was the visitors who started like a house on fire with much attacking ferociousness.
A leaden silence descended on the near-empty Abuja stadium in 11 minutes when Morsay headed the visitors to the lead. In truth, that writing had been on the wall from the blast of the whistle: the Super Eagles had been disorganized and incoherent in their play and had been particularly vulnerable at the back.
The Super Eagles set out on a 4-4-2 formation and the difference was clear from Eguavoen’s approach. Here, you had the 4 defenders with the 2 wingers on a parallel line with the 2 midfielders firmly and distinctly behind the 2 strikers.
This allowed Moses Simon to get help if he was ganged up on and for Chukwueze to readily run into space from deep. There was little risk of the formation becoming 4-2-4 for long periods which led to Chukwueze and Moses Simon being cut off and isolated under Eguavoen.
So, Simon, when marked and crowded out, the Nantes man simply laid it on a plate for marauding Iwobi to guide effortlessly into the right corner of the net for Nigeria’s equaliser in 16 minutes. Chukwueze ran into promising areas several times in this match only to fluff his lines; on another day the Villarreal man would have bagged himself at least 2 goals in such an encounter.
Moses Simon’s withdrawn position again meant he could pick our Osihmen with a delicate diagonal header right inside the 18 yard box for the Napoli man to slide home for Nigeria’s winning goal in 41 minutes following excellent work from Aina down the right flank.
2:1 it ended.
The state of the pitch was deplorable. It will be remiss not to mention this as one of the factors that ruined the enjoyment factor of the game. The Super Eagles lacked coordination early in the match but soon gained their composure as the match went on.
Alex Iwobi was the conductor and heartbeat of the team with his ball carrying displays. He was everywhere in midfield with the sole aim of distributing the ball and orchestrating attacking initiatives: he did well. The formation left the back line overstretched as Aina particularly struggled to slot back into defence after overlapping. The midfield felt too flat without a recognised defensive midfielder and the whole Super Eagles apparatus felt too open for Sierra Leone to pick holes (which they did several times).
In fact, it was a miracle that Sierra Leone didn’t add to their solitary goal. Good goalkeeping from Uzoho and the woodwork spared Nigeria’s blushes.
The players tried very hard to interpret Peseiro’s vision which is commendable. But, worry signs remain with a shaky defence, fragile midfield and wasteful attack. The overall pattern of play of the Super Eagles wasn’t entirely inspirational.
In all it was a slightly depressing display all round.
Well done to the Super Eagles for grinding out the results but the cloud of dissatisfaction and disappointment that gathered before the match didn’t clear up afterwards: Super Eagles fans are still unhappy.
But, a win is a win and it could have been worse. The Super Eagles and the coaches have to be congratulated for starting the Afcon qualification campaign on a winning note despite the subjective outlook of the game. They can only get better. It seems like it will take time for Peseiro’s Super Eagles to click into gear. Patience is required.
We now look forward to the next game against Sao Tome and Principe .
I say many times Super Eagles lack defensive players just on center backs and defensive midfield; William troost is so bad and frail and shaky player he made a big error which he allowed the winger to passed him then crossed for Morsay who headed the goal; Semi Ajayi was going away from his position which grant Sierra Lieonians a distance to make a dangerous attackts; so in the next SE match and matches Peseiro must make a change in centre defence and centre midfield with coupling Balogun with Omeuro must exclude Troost Ekong and Ajayi , also must exclude Aina and replace him by Shehu Abdullahi or Awaziem; in defensive midfield he(Peseiro) must add Azubiuke Okhechukwu and Patric Onovo or Alhassan Abdullahi in order to creat a strong and offensive centre back and defensive midfield, if Peseiro does this technical reform , he will creat strong SE defensively.
How many convincing wins under Rohr or Gardiola. 1st competitive match o. Sodje free our Mourinho abeg. Mtcheew
Stop talking trash. There were many convincing wins under Rohr.
The Eagles played against Sierra Leone and the pitch.
For that I give them kudos.
Wasn’t pleasing to the eyes but they put in the work and got the desired 3points.
I also commend Peseiro. One can see he has his philosophy but not so keen that he doesn’t switch when necessary. He is very flexible and do read the game judiciously. He is one that’s communicative. Hopefully, the players key into his style and we have same purpose.
Though, we are far from been Brazil, France, Germany, Argentina,Spain or even England; we are not really short from players that can get the job done.
To play the devil’s advocate.
I wouldn’t say Osimhen is over hyped. Though he isn’t there yet and still got a lot to learn( especially technicality); his all round play and returns for club and country is quite impressive. Osimhen is the real deal.
Same for Bassey,who keeps growing in satuture.putting in another quality shift.
Iwobi is showing the Alex everyone knew who could be. Just as the club realise, he is vital as well for the country.
I wouldn’t go as far as say the defence is shambolic,yes intermittently shaky, but majority teams will when mostly pressured.
The problem of the defence is in the midfield. The midfield isn’t stable. The absence of Ndidi hasn’t helped either. The middle has failed to hold. They have slow failed to control the game as much as it should be. Thereby giving the opposition opportunity to put pressure on the defence.
Also, the right flank hasn’t been good for a long time . Apart from the midfield, it is quite glaring,it is our weakest link. The Super Eagles are mostly penetrated through the right. And in attack; the right wing hasn’t really done much lately ( except for the anomaly of Aina’s cross in yesterday’s game). The right has to be fixed. But I am not really worried about it cause we got quality in Aina, Chukwueze,Lookman et al (even an Iwobi) who can do the job. They just need to sit up.
I sincerely believe with the right attitude, tactics and selection, the Super Eagles would come good.
For now , we watch and hope.
Quality assessment @ Hush. Thumbs up man. Anyway it’s becoming very frustrating to comment on anything about Nigeria anymore, especially since that shameful disbandment of our D TIGRESS,makes me feel we fans are just wasting useful time/energy on Nigeria/everything in n about Nigeria. The people in position of power are pure Satan’s agents to destroy that country.
I just don’t feel that passion anymore but for people like you @ Hush.
As for yesterday’s game, it’s become a thing of necessity to get more quality defenders/defensive midfielders into that team. Time to call on that Anthony guy, as well as Olisa Ndah. The defence and defensive midfield needs loads of quality options going forward.
Is that not the same pitch which the minister of sports boasted about, that was refurbished by Dangote? I’m still wondering how Benin, Ethiopia and Sudan can have good stadia and Nigeria is struggling to maintain one good pitch.
Ethiopia’s wasn’t good o I watched their match against Egypt and it was horrible I’m sure it’s one of Egypt’s main excuses for loosing the match even tho they were poor but Benin,Sudan,Zambia etc have good pitches.
Everybody suppose know that NFF is a crazy people. So we don’t have good pitches in Nigeria? How can you expect free flowing football in that Agegunle Pitch. Everything they use it for politics . Black man don’t have sense both educated and noneducated.