Completesports.com’s ADEBOYE AMOSU appraises the performance of Super Eagles’ players in their 3-2 win against the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon – an AFCON 2019 Round of 16 clash at the Alexandria Stadium on Saturday, July 6 2019.
DANIEL AKPEYI 6/10
The Chippa United goalkeeper was exposed by his defence for the two goals scored by the Indomitable Lions in the game. Looked calm and handled the pressure well.
CHIDOZIE AWAZIEM 6/10
Partly responsible for the first Cameroonian goal. Recovered well to help the Super Eagles keep the Cameroonians at bay despite picking a yellow card in the critical part of the game.
KENNETH OMERUO 6/10
Left his man free for Cameroon’s first goal and was not at his best for the major part of the game.
WILLIAM TROOST-EKONG 6/10
Got the nod to start ahead of Leon Balogun and did enough to help the Super Eagles progress into the quarterfinals.
OLA AINA 6/10
Failed to stand up to the challenge of Clinton Njie for Cameroon’s second goal although he finished the game strongly.
WILFRED NDIDI 6/10
Looked lively in the opening exchanges but fizzled out afterwards.
OGHENEKARO ETEBO 7/10
Full of life and was the Super Eagles best player on the pitch at some point in the game. Picked up an injury in the latter stages of the first half which slowed down his performance.
ALEX IWOBI 6/10
Came alive in the second half and scored the winning goal for the Super Eagles. Still not yet at his best in the competition.
AHMED MUSA 6/10
Showed a bit of his best in the second half and provided the assist for Odion Ighalo’s second goal.
SIMON MOSES 6/10
Need to be more consistent in his game. Created few problems for the Cameroonians and helped out in the defence.
ODION IGHALO 8/10
Scored two goals and provided an assist in the Super Eagles third goal scored by Alex Iwobi. He was duly named man of the match in the game.
SUBSTITUTES
SAMUEL CHUKWUEZE 5/10
Helped push the Cameroonians back following his introduction for Moses Simon.
PAUL ONUACHU 3/10
Replaced Odion Ighalo late on and didn’t offer much.
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COMMENTS
God help eagles. Who next?
CS you got it wrong. Akpeyi was a bit shaky and a major suspect but we thank God we outscored Cameroon and didn’t conceed more.
Chukwueze deserves the higest rating for bringing life in an otherwise pretentious showing attack. But statistics gives it to Ighalo. All the same we need a general sit up and its time to start Chukwueze and give some chance to Oshimen or Henry over Paul who missed his chance to show he has what it takes to hold his own.
Chima, I totally agree with your assessment of the game.
Well said..
Paul Onuachu is offering little or nothing to d team.
It’s Nigeria vs Rsa
Hope Super Eagles step up
BANANA BANANA HAS ELIMINATED EGYPT! The same Banana Banana that came to Nigeria and beat us 2 nil, just eliminated the Afcon hosts Egypt. Now, Rohr haters, do you now see that football is a funny old game?
So, it will be Nigeria vs South Africa. GAME ON!!!
Mo Salah is booking the next flight out of Egypt. He has been bundled out of the Afcon in the second round! Mane and Naby Keita will have to send him consolatory messages tonight. When you look at this shocker, it makes you appreciate all the more what Rohr has achieved as Nigeria coach. Their are no minnows in football anymore. Every team wants to win, and the competition is cut throat! The South African side is well drilled, and they excel in counter attacking football. We must pay very close attention to defensive duties against them! If we play them with all seriousness, we should carry the day. Come on Eagles!!!
if naija can with passion and concentrate throughout then ….
… can play with
Ok even if we beat Cameroon we still have to face Egypt in the quarter final.. LEEEMAOO!!! How market na???? I said it how are they sure Egypt will beat South Africa. South Africa don send una Egypt back to the pyramids.. it is SuperEagles vs Bafana Bafana… oya bring on Moh Salah. Football no be mouth.
Philly pls remind them o. LMAO
Those who have been praying for the team to loose….the Lord has prepared a table before Rohr in the presence of his enemies.! Lolz
Most of them are still stuck in their filthy covens. Them never get fortitude to bear the win. Lolz
SA will fall
truly me too dont agree with this rating but na CSN problem be that. that is it my dear fans, we lose 1 match( not that we did well) some people want to kill the team and coach but I think the defeat of Egypt(host) by south Africa will be a better explanation to those who think our team is too big to be defeated. abeg we wey dey d moving train let move to the next game(south Africa). up up up super eagles!!!!!!!!!!!!.
Nigerian fans usually rely on big names. Names don’t play football.
Cameroon will kill us, Egypt will roast us, Salah a world class player, Morocco, one of the best teams, played better than Nigeria in the world cup, with one of best coach in the continent, Even the world class coach Sedoof and Klaivet, ALL HAVE BOWED out.
Yet we have a coach that is humbly moving Super Eagles forward. Yet the fans are not satisfied. Raining insults upon insult. Many have said, even if he wins Afcon, let him go.
Where in the world will decide the fate of a coach or any staff without using his result. Is that not witch hunting.
They prefer a big name coach that can brag or boast even if the coach does not have result or qualify us for world cup or Afcon, they are okay. As long as he does their wish, invite their preferred players, the result becomes immaterial
Well, they still have to wait for long. Because for the stone builders rejected is still the corner stone.
I knew it was better to loose to Madagascar and still be in the competition than to loose to cameroon and be out. Is it not surprising that the best loosers are beating and sending the group leaders out of competition. And coach Rohr modestly came 2nd but still in the competition. Just like South Africa beat us in Uyo and then couldn’t qualify for the world cup while we moved to another gear from then and never lost a qualifing match.
So Rohr critics and haters don’t criticize prematurely wait till the end of the match or after the tournament to criticize or you will be forced to eat your words. Go Super Eagles, Ride on coach Rohr, even though you aren’t perfect but you sure are on the right path.
Go Eagles, go.
Give it up for omeruo, this man has been the plug in this afcon, he has taken the afcon personal!!! Thank God for him
Slow and steady wins the race. Rohr and his soldiers are on course. God bless Nigeria
Well said guys but we should still see the Eagles as still not at their best. Do they really need to be on the spot before bringing on their fighting spirit? Somebody said it was a strategy. But I say it was risky. Somebody says risky can be taken sometimes. But I say it can backfire. Watch the South African league. It’s the most interesting and the most organized league in the continent of Africa. So I was wondering how they are not transferring it to their outside matches. I really expected the Egyptians to win but I am not surprised because it’s possible considering the quality of their league. I still prefer South Africa to Egypt as our next opponent. We should be able to to take care of things if chukwueze starts the match.
@Djch Chukwueze must not start, he comes as a super sub, when most of his opponents are already tired and dribbles them with ease. In the first game he started and was a torn in their flesh in the first half but faded away in the second. In Villareal he usually comes from the bench to cause damage. So it is part of the coaches strategy. And it is working.
To beat South Africa is a duty that must be performed. l know Odion will do what he does best. He is the best striker in Africa right now. Congratulations to the Super Eagle of Nigeria. I extend my appreciation to Mr Rohr for a job well done.
Hello CS I am not sure we waq the same match please find below what’s appropriate
Akpeyi – 4 A goalkeepers job is to instil confidence and command the goal area he was jittery all through and fumbled with balls he had no business mishandling
Ola Aina – 6 Responsibke for the 2nd goal but recovered well to put in a great shift
Awanziem – 6 Did his defensive duties well but offered little going forward
EKONG – 5 A complete shadow of the player we knew didn’t offer enough help to his partner and was looked like he has lost a bit of his confidence
Omero 7 he mopped up several balls and was caught ball watching for the first goal but stood his ground against the lions. He is the best defender so far in our team
Ndidi- 7 Broke up play and did an excellent job all through
Etebo – 7 Ran around a lot and put in a good shift with Ndidi
Iwobi – 5 Save for the goal he offered nothing as a central midfielder. Stray passes and no initiative
Musa – 4 Couldnt pull out a cross and outside of running lacked a final pass. The assist was his only contribution. Should not be starting
Ighalo – 8 – A one man riot squad who ran around alot and caused troubles everywhere. Well taken goals
Subs
Chukwueze- 8 He changed the game completely. Passes upon passes and until he came in there was no through pass. Should start
Onuachu – 4 Should never be an option of a sub
Chukwueze must not start, he comes as a super sub, when most of his opponents are already tired and dribbles them with ease. In the first game he started and was a torn in their flesh in the first half but faded away in the second. In Villareal he usually comes from the bench to cause damage. So it is part of the coaches strategy. And it is working.
If you must do ratings, please get your facts right because this really doesn’t make sense
The ratings are generous for some, Awaziem contributes nothing to the attack and despite what we may feel, Etebo and Ndidi were very good against the more physical Cameroonians. Iwobi desserve more than a 6, he is the playmaker, attacking midfielder and second striker in the said match and he took his goal well. Ighalo was superb too, their defenders played to his strength.
You mean the Awaziem that played the ball beautifully into the 18yard box and Musa chested it down for Ighalo to make it 2-2? Plus he was solid at the back. Awaziem & Aina may not be finished products at the wings, but they’ve really improved and standing tall in this competition.
Remember Rohr’s first choices for the wingbacks are Shehu Abdullahi and Jamiu Collins, who are both out with injury. Collins is certain to be back against SA in the QF, but will he be 100%? Recall that Samuel Kalu struggled when he was rushed back in the Madagascar game and Rohr had to revert to Simon Moses in yesterday’s game.
On a side note, where’s BigD? It’s been long I read his views/analyses here.
@kel, I dey oh, thanks for looking out. A lot of the time I’m reluctant to comment especially where insults are flying left right and centre.
I watched the match and was impressed with Awaziem who was fouled a lot. He put in a good show defensively and contributed week to the attack. We know our strongest side now. The only fault I’ll come up with was the usual story of late and incredible substitutions.
The first sub, Chukwueze for Simon was fantastic, I would (and I suspect many would also) have liked to see Osimhen on instead of Onuachu on for Ighalo. I guess Onyekuru has to wait for something to happen to Musa before he’ll get game time.
Unusual jitters at the back, bit Omeruo showed that he’s the first choice centre back and, yes they struggled against our biggest continental rivals.
But all in all, I’m happy.
Happy because we have advanced further than we have in the last two afcons when we didn’t even qualify. We have advanced further than our rivals Cameroon, Egypt, Morocco who are closest to us in the FIFA rankings, meaning they cannot over take us when the next rankings are released. Happy because we are inching towards our usual potential which is semi finals, (we have reached the semi finals of AFCON 50% of the time in the past 20 years – 10 competitions).
Happy because we are still in it and have a chance of winning it, bit it’s one match at a time and next we meet South Africa who have only beaten us twice in their entire history and has to resort to taking us to play at altitude, with the ref’s assistance, without Ndidi and we still forced a draw when we met at their home in our most recent have against them last year.
Here are my belated player ratings:
Akpeyi (5/10): was badly exposed by the defence for the 2 goals conceded. Still, his poor composure and inability to organise the backline let him down.
Ola Aina (6/10): beaten for pace and stamina in the build up to Cameroon’s second goal. Still, he maintained an acceptable level of concentration throughout the match.
Awanziem (6.5): Allowed Cameroon too much time and space in the build up to the first goal. Still, he matched their physicality for the reminder of the game, earning a yellow card in the process whilst still having time to bomb forward to deliver the cross that was chested down to Ighalo who smashed home from close range for Nigeria’s equalizer.
EKONG 5/10: was involved in some uncomfortable moments at the back. His performance was neither here nor there though it was devoid of the sort of star qualities that we have come to expect from him.
Omero (5.5/10): it is hard to score Omeruo very highly in this match as he was in the heart of the only 2 goals conceded by Nigeria. Firstly, he allowed the Cameroon attacker ghost behind him for the first goal while he was beaten aerially in the build up to the second goal. Still, his overall contribution was acceptable.
Ndidi (5.5/10): tackles and interceptions were timely and neat. But, he did not impose himself on the game and came well short of dictating proceedings from deep.
Etebo (5.5/10): he left gaps in the midfield at times that was ruthlessly exploited by Chipa Moting in the build up to Cameroon’s first goal. Nigeria deserves more from a centre midfielder.
Iwobi (6/10): his positional orientation as an attacking midfielder is all wrong. He continues to fall short in the interpretation of basic expectations of a midfielder with his inability to bring others into the game and inability provide passes that either hurt the opposition or bring out the best in teammates. Still, an acceptable performance by his own interpretation of what is expected of him crowned with a winning goal worth its weight in goal.
Musa (4.5/10): yet to light up the tournament like we know he can. His pace troubled Cameroon on occasions but his end products were at time largely forgettable. His assist for Ighalo’s equalizer was masterclass (if he actually meant it).
Ighalo (7.5/10): two goals and one assist capped up a very productive night for a striker that is fast joining greats like Emenike, Aghaowa and Yekini as a Nigerian legend of Afcons.
Subs
Chukwueze (6/10): his energy, exuberance and empowerment were exactly what was needed in the later stages of this encounter and Chukwueze did not disappoint. I will have no problem if he continues to be used in this manner because his sort of fresh legs are what tired defenders hate at latter stages.
Onuachu (5/10): did exactly what he came in to do which was to make an absolute nuisance of himself to Cameroon’s defence with his build (without necessarily touching the ball).
Balogun : not enough time to be rated.
Moses Simon (5.5/10): perhaps his best contributions continue to be the support he provides defensively. He is becoming too predictable in his offensive play which continues to water-down his effectiveness.
THE TEAM PLAYED WELL