Completesportsnigeria.com’s ADEBOYE AMOSU rates the Super Eagles players following their 1-1 draw in a friendly game against Democratic Republic of Congo at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Port Harcourt on Monday…
FRANCIS UZOHO 7/10
The young goalkeeper looked solid in goal and made three brilliant saves in the game.
TYRONNE EBUEHI 6/10
Was lively early in the game but fizzled out later. He did enough to prove he can give regular right-back Shehu Abdullahi proper competition.
WILLIAM TROOST-EKONG 7/10
Scored his side’s first goal of the game. The Bursaspor of Turkey centre-back was impressive and coped well with the Congolese forwards.
LEON BALOGUN 6/10
Missed a good chance of registering a goal from a corner kick in the second half. Had a difficult time stopping the dangerous Benik Afobe.
ELDERSON ECHIEJILE 5/10
Average performance from the left-back who was duly hauled off after the break.
JOEL OBI 5/10
The Torino midfielder didn’t make much impact in the game, but showed flashes of brilliance. His chances of a berth in final squad have not been enhanced.
OGENYI ONAZI 5/10
An average performance from the stand-in captain who failed to replicate his impressive past showings for the Super Eagles.
KELECHI IHEANACHO 6/10
Started the game brightly but somehow struggled afterwards. He set up his side’s only goal. He was substituted after the break.
OGHENEKARO ETEBO 6/10
Full of running in the middle of the park and showed his versatility by playing on the left side of the attack later in the game.
JUNIOR LOKOSA 7/10
Played in an unfamiliar right-wing position and showed some promise. He did his chances no harm.
SIMEON NWANKWO 8/10
The Crotone of Italy forward came close to scoring twice in the game and showed good skills on the ball. He lacked good service but imposed himself on the game.
SUBSTITUTES
MIKEL AGU 5/10
Came in for Joel Obi after the break and didn’t make much impact following his introduction.
OLA AINA 5/10
The half time substitute made forays upfront unlike the man he replaced, Elderson Echiejile but was unlucky to concede the penalty that led to the Congolese equalising goal.
KENETH OMERUO 5/10
Came in Leon Balogun did his best to help stabilize the defence which looked shaky for majority of the game.
AHMED MUSA 5/10
Looked lively after coming in for Junior Lokosa 20 minutes from the end.
SHEHU ABDULLAHI 5/10
Didn’t spend enough time on the pitch to affect the game positively.
COMMENTS
Wish u the super eagles goodluck in Russia
I wish the super eagles goodluck in Russia
iheanacho should be dropped, can’t trap, can’t pass, can’t shoot, he was just a minus to d attack. Joel obi should be dropped too, he was just pushing people everywhere, Tyrone too should go and join u Under 23.what did uche agbo do to our coach.as for me, if we play like tis,we can’t even draw Iceland.
@Mykel,
They can as well drop the whole team.
No point commenting it is obvious you didn’t watch the match.
@olla i support u bro
Which part of the match gave you hope my brother? The team B was a million times better than the team that played DRC. If this represents what they will do at the WC cup, I am afraid, we may be going there to make up the number. Except for the new entrants, Simy and Lokosa, others were a minus. However, I will form opinion after the match against The Three Lions.
My brothers take it easy. The coach has said, we will begin to have a feel of what the Super Eagles will do in the world cup, from the England game. That is when we can start rating our team. The Poland, Serbia and Congo game were majorly to test some players and formation.
Please tell me what was Agu’s major contribution in the game? If you actually watch the game
This world cup send-off friendly match culture is really a brilliant fans-focused by the NFF.
My only recommendations would be 1) better pitches (quality of the Port Harcourt pitch could have been better) 2) Perhaps more high calibre oppositions (with all due respect to Congo who have a decent Fifa ratings).
I’m not going to read much meaning to the result and overall play as I think all the players gave reasonable accounts of themselves.
The ones that were exceptional to me today were: Lokosa, Etebo, Ebuehi, Uzoho and to some extent Simmy.
Please take SIMEON NWANKWO to Russia. He’s better than KELECHI IHEANACHO to me!
@Luomo, I watched the game and i totally agree with @Ubah. Mikel Agu had no impact in the midfield when he came on. Nwankwo was something else–I mean he was too too good. Just imagine if that guy had Mikel and Moses support?? He would just be scoring like Overflowing water today. HIGHLIGHT OF TODAY’S MATCH WAS- Our midfield that still lack creativity without Mikel Obi
If Mikel should get injured or red card then we are doomed. The reason to draft Nwakali into the team.
Our players should just respect themselves and play what they play for their clubs. All of them in the team want to be creative when they don’t have it in them, defenders holding the ball and end up passing it to the most marked midfielder, Etebo taking freekicks…things they’ll never dream of doing in their clubs.
D pitch made d game a easy for d congolese as most of our players ar foreign players,,
Agu dat guy mikel shldnt be in d 40 list sef i wonder hw he is still dere,,,
Ebuehi is too soft a defender let him wait and ola aina ,, and ajiboye …
Let say d truth lokosa is a strong guy he will perform well in d mundial
My brother, I think that assessment of Agu is a bit harsh.
If you ask me to rate the whole team today, considering that all the goal scoring opportunities they orchestrated led to only 1 goal; below par midfield creativity that failed to take full advantage of the presence of Simmy and Lokosa; and they conceded a goal albeit through controversial circumstances, I will rate the team as 6/10 (6 out of 10).
This will not be too far off my ratings for Agu who made a clearance in 60 minutes and was a liability to nobody in midfield with his simple if unspectacular performance.
Like I said earlier, overall, the team gave an above-average account of themselves.
@deo thanks i watched both halves of the game and this is what i noticed too..his introduction with that of Iwobi brought some calm into the midfield and we were able to string more passes than we did in the 1st half..what i am trying to point out is that this guy is always crucified but truth be told he had a better game than most players today
My rating
Francis uzoho 8
Echijele 4
Ebuehi 7
Leon 5
Ekong 6
Onazi 4
Etebo 5
Joel 5
Iheanacho 4
Simmy 6
Lokosa 6
Substitute
Aina 6
Agu 4
Musa 5
Iwobi 5..
I think simmy and lokosa are promising. Left to me onazi is clueless, no clinical tackles made,his passes were so odd,echiejele is weak,can’t mark neither can he contribute to any offensive play,thus have no part in this team.
Iheanacho is yet to find his rhythm and so does etebo and both should noy be one the starting line up,they both made no significant impression in the game. Joel still have some lapses in terms of making ng good and clear markings.
I give credit to the goal keeper,ebuehi,lokosa and simmy.
@ walking…for d first time…someone can see wat I’ve been seeing. The main reason why we lost to south Africa was these two players…Onazi and echiejile. It’s a pity that d penalty caused by Aina. He is far better than Echiejile. Ebuehi is d best right back wether he’s soft or not.
i love Ebuehi performance today..he impressed…. I think he’s the only one to challenge shehu at right back…Simmy and lokosa were superb….I’ll really love if musa will be dropped for lokosa and simmy should replace the injured Moses simon..Ola Aina should also be dropped only Brian Idowu can give Echiejile a stiff competition at left back…. Ihenancho,Iwobi,Joel Obi are only good for the bench..I prefer John Ogu to Joel Obi…Ogu’s height and body shape will command presence the midfield is lacking alongside Mikel and Ndidi
Rohr should line up this way
GK Uzoho
LB Idowu
RCB Troost Ekong
LCB Balogun
RB Shehu Abdullahi
DFM Ndidi
DFM John Ogu
CM Mikel Obi
RCF Victor Moses
LCF Ahmed Musa
CF Odion Ighalo
the reason why Idowu and Musa is on my lineup is they both play in Russia for many years and they understand the type of football in Russia..their experience will help the team positively..we’ll definitely miss Moses Simon he’s better than Musa and Iwobi combined..so sad we are losing a team player
When you play Musa and idowu because they play in Russia. Are we playing against the Russian team in the first round? Reason am nah…
Are we playing russia .funny you.
I wonder o my brother
I think you should be saying because they are used to the Russian weather and not the type of football in Russia as if we’ll be playing the Russians
Are we going to play against Russia or in Russia? Why is your criteria for taking Musa and idowu only bcos they understand the Russian type of football? Ur reason is not reasonable, brother.
Shey crotia or argetina na russian clubside wey we go nid russian playing style to beat.
It would have been dillussional to expect a better standard of play other than what was put out on that HORRIBLE pitch! Mercifully our boys did not cop any injury. No sane racehorse owner would have even allowed his thorough breads on that field to race. It was the same pitch that our boys were expected to put on a good exhibition of wonderful football.
That said, Simmy and Uzoho won my heart. Joel Obi is overated and Iheanacho blows hot and cold but should be on the plane to Russia.
I expect better quality football on Saturday against England on a REAL FOOTBALL PITCH.
But sentiment apart, do you think onazi and echiejele should make the team, not even mikel agu.. He has never made an impact in any game he features..
Lokosa,simmy ebuehi and aina shud make the team… Shehu himself looks heavy on the ball lately…
is it this match dat i watched, dat people ar complaining about joel obi nd mikel agu? Coachin is an intellectual thin nd i think watchin a match is an intellectual tin also. Thank God non of u here is d coach, ebele aka egbu. Rhor knws player
From my observation I think the coach his trying to see who he will drop between Echiejile and Aina. As for Lokosa I don’t think he will make the team… Simy could probably make it, as for Ebuhe i think we have seen it, that guy will surely make it if he is not having fitness issue. That pitch was horrible. It is a shame that a governor can even be watching a whole national team playing in such a horrible pitch and he is not ashamed. You know the coach has not been a fans of that stadium cos of the pitch right from the time.
Lol lol I told u guys going to World Cup with Iheanacho, Iwobi, Agu, Onazi,Agbo,Ewhejejile,thinking Nigeria will spring surprise with these average players is just a wishful thinking.
if i were d coach, I’ll drop d following players:
iheanacho
iwobi
ajiboye
mikel agu
moses simon(due to injury)
echiejile
ebuehi(due to injury)
d rest could go to world cup
Thank God u’re not the coach
Lastest from ph is dat d ff guys ve been dropped 1 simon
2 lokoz
3 echejile
4 agu
5 igallo
6 onazi
7 akepyi
Lol. stop dreaming.. Ighalo and Onazi cannot be dropped from the squad
Liar, Rohr can’t drop Igahlo his favorite striker. The pre-match interview shows that the coach is very much aware of the bad state of the pitch and he said he will only play those who are not sure of going to Russia except the 2 central backs. So definitely, most players that did not play today have a sure ticket. Onazi is not a good team coordinator I don’t know why he is even the assistant captain to begin with. He is not creative and could not command Etebo who is a more creative mid fielder to flow more in front while he sits back to cover up for him defensively but then he wanted to do the creative work which he couldn’t and put etebo behind him. Thank God Etebo later came out in the second half to show his class.
everybody forget this match. The match against england and czech is the acid test for these guys. welldone simy! I pray no player gets injured as we prepare for the mundial.
Average performance tonight. Below is my Russia bound team in 4-2-3-1 or in 4-3-3. or 4-4-2. Having the combination of Odion and Simmy as our attackers will be deadly and unstoppable.
GK – Uzoho/Ezenwa/Akpeyi
RB – Shehu/Ebuehi
CB – Ekong/Awaziem
CB – Balogun/Omeruo
LB – Idowu/Aina
DM – Ndidi/John Ogu
DM – Onazi/Joel Obi
RW – Victor Moses/Etebo
CM – Mikel Obi/Iheanacho
LW – Musa/Iwobi
CF – Odion/Simmy Nwankwo
I wish them all the best.
kindly send this list to Mr Rohr.Just Perfect.Onazi is not good enough.Just refused to grow.
Thanks, my football analyst.
Suru For Coach
My first eleven players would be:
GK – Francis Uzoho
RB – Shehu Abdulhai
CB – William Ekong
CB – Leon Balogun
LB – Brian Idowu
RW – Victor Moses
CM – Wilfred Ndidi
CM – Mikel Obi
LW – Alex Iwobi
CF – Odion Ighalo
CF – Simy Nwankwo
@ Suru, I hail your selection.
@Suru, nwanne, this your first 11 dey solid and dey shack person with better confidence. Me sef hail you. I agree with you 100%. You sabi. Sense no go kee you. LOL.
Thanks, you know ball.
I think Mikel agu’s father is a politician,or he is paying his way through,or he knows somebody that nknows amoju,yes because if I am roh he whuoldnt even make a 50 man list,,,,,,,,e bi like say the guy the pay him dues very well
Semy is good on the ball,but he doesn’t have enough strength in him,he falls down easlly,make him go take some fufu ,and go to the gym for more energy ,before the English game,then after that game we’ll see if he is trully ready for the world cup, and as for lokosa the boy is good but not ready,I think Elderson and Mikel agu has no business going to the world cup,and if Semy must go to the world cup the roh him I think he can get frustrated easily and thas not good for the team.
PH with bad pitch, please let be playing a match in UYO.
Nigeria Super Eagles will surely cause a mighty surprise in Russia.All the signs are rife.I remembered in 1996 before the Atlanta Olympics’ a send of friendly match like this one was organized between The Togolese National Team who won the match 0-2.All hell broke loose and so many fans wrote the team off like so many of you are already doing now.But at the end of the end of the Olympics The Nigerian Dream Team emerged winners.
So so mouth Wike Dani make. Football pitch is not a thing political but practical. The whole Rivers State indigene should be ashamed. The man the stadium is named after should be ashamed the most. He is an ex footballer, an ex commission, an ex chief prosecutor, a working chief in Okrika town( you remember P. Jonathan?). Wike should as a matter of urgency do something fast. Amaju Pinnick was not joyous yesterday. That stadium was a national disgrace as Super Sport even decide to disgrace us by agreeing to beam that match live. All the worse stadium in South Africa are better than that stadium. I believe Buhari or Adding or Lai Mohammed didn’t watch the match for it would have been a good political point against Wike. So so mouth.
Current info: Lokosa,Eze and Agbo, dropped. two more to follow.
God bless the chosen once, God bless Eagles, One love and united to 9ja fans.
I think our soldiers need our prayers at this moment.
A little Hope and pray for Moses S. if he pass second scan in London.
In this situation, I regret what’s going on between “Henry” Anderlecht and the coach.
SUPER Eagles Updste: All players are travelling to Abuja. No player has been dropped.
Ebuehi shld be dropped i repeat ,,, d boy is too soft \nd timid ,, okay ooo
Lets wait and see
Up super eagles
@Suru nice 23 selection @Hanif your point is baseless is not compulsory u comment thank you
Rubbish. A team the cannot beat Congo should not play in world cup.
Make you blame pitch now, I will see what you will blame in Russia. 0 world class striker 0 world class midfielder 0 world class goal keeper. Una go hear am.
@ Hanif…in case u don’t know who bears Ebuehi among the players, he was the yellow guy who marked out DiMaria against Argentina, played with injury against Serbia and wore number 21 yesterday. Not d guy Dat played from d left back in D first half o! We don’t need a weight lifter at different world cup…a player like bellerini, Marcos Alonso is OK. This is world cup..Cameroon won’t be there. Thanks.