Following Nigeria’s impressive 3-1 win against Sudan In an AFCON 2021 Group D clash at the Roumde Adija Stadium, Garoua on Saturday, Completesports.com‘s ADEBOYE AMOSU, highlights six remarkable observations from the match.
Simon Proved His Class Once Again
.Nantes of France winger, Moses Simon, is no doubt enjoying a new lease of life under Nigeria interim head coach, Austine Eguavoen. He was one of the players who underperformed during the reign of former head coach, Gernot Rohr, but is now reborned under the new manager and lighting up AFCON 2021 with his heroics.
The 25-year-old put up an exceptional performance in Super Eagles’ win against Egypt on Tuesday and was also unlucky not to scoop the man of the match honour.
He followed up that up with another superb showing against Sudan on Saturday, setting up Samuel Chukwueze for Nigeria’s opening game and scoring the third goal on the night. He deservedly won the Man-of-The-Match award.
Omeruo, Troost-Ekong Partnership Getting Stronger
Glasgow Rangers defender Leon Balogun’s unavailability as result of injury has offered Kenneth Omeruo a big chance to stake claim for a regular playing berth in the Super Eagles and the Leganes man has grabbed the opportunity with both hands.
Also Read – AFCON 2021: AFCON 2021: Awoniyi Should Have Done Better Against Sudan –Okocha
Omeruo and vice-captain William Troost- Ekong looked solid together in central defence for the second consecutive game at the ongoing AFCON 2021. They showed good understanding which in the long run will rub off positively on the team as the tournament progresses.
Eagles’ Strikers Need To Step Up
Taiwo Awoniyi and Umar Sadiq were expected to shoulder the goal-scoring responsibilities for the Super Eagles at the AFCON2021 finals in Cameroon following the absence of Victor Osimhen and Odion Ighalo, but both have failed to lived to up expectations so far in this competition.
Awoniyi was handed a starting berth for the second consecutive game against Sudan and even though the Union Berlin striker was on target against the Falcons of Jediane, he didn’t make too much impact.
His replacement, Umar Sadiq was criticised by head coach Austine Eguavoen after the game for failing to carry out his instruction on the pitch.
Nwakali Yet To Justify His Inclusion
Much was expected from Kelechi Nwakali after his surprise inclusion in Nigeria’s squad for the competition, but ardent followers of the Super Eagles are still waiting to the SD Huesca midfielder show that he belongs to this level after he shone for the U-17s and U-20s.
The midfielder was handed a cameo role against Egypt, but had more minutes to show what he can do against Sudan, but he didn’t do enough to convince the technical crew and fans he is ready for the big stage.
Okoye Truly Ready For The Big Stage
Former Super Eagles head coach Gernot Rohr got a lot of sticks for making Maduka Okoye the team’s first choice goalkeeper ahead of the likes of Daniel Akpeyi, Francis Uzoho and Ikechukwu Ezenwa. The young goalie has however proved he is equal to the task with his calm demeanour in the ongojng AFCON 2021.
Okoye, who is playing in his first major tournament for Nigeria, has looked unruffled in goal and he stood guard with the same traits against the Sudanese.
Wing- Play Is The Potent ‘Nigerian Football’
The Super Eagles thrived with fast and intelligent wingers during their most successful era, and the current interim head coach, Austine Eguavoen, seems to have brought the philosophy and practicality back into the team at AFCON 2021. Like in the previous game against Egypt, the wingers were up and doing again Sudan and that contributed to their successful outing.
While Moses Simon tormented the Falcons of Jediane on the left-wing, Samuel Chukwueze was a thorn in their flesh on the right.
15 Comments
A very wonderful display by Moses Simon. I hope our strikers are able to impress us since they still have more games to play. Meanwhile, let’s wait for the changes Cerezo is going to ring.
Up Super Eagles, Up Nigeria.
Nwakali did well for the few minutes he had on the pitch…….He did not lose possession carelessly,he did not give a misplaced pass,he completed 2 dribbles,made 1 successful tackle,had one shot on target,……. what else do you want from him?……. Awoniyi was a hand full for the Sudanese,he made intelligent runs behind their defense of which one nearly resulted to a goal if not for Aribo anxiety to convert instead of leaving it for Iheanacho, Awoniyi also had a hand in the goal scored by Simon, shielding the ball and allowing Simon to smell the danger and went in for the kill,what else do you want?…….. Sodiq tried too because he had little time to prove a point and from his movement you see he is a striker that smells where the danger is, sodiq is a deadly striker because he made some very intelligent runs the few time he was on the pitch……At least watch a match well before you give an observation to the public.
Akp you are very intelligent. CS can be very funny with their analysis. This company has really gone down I quality.
I am surprised at the criticisms of sodiq. Let us have him fully in the next match to see.
Awoniyi is good. I will credit him with the assist for the third goal.
I want to see strikers disturb defences, hold up play, give assist and also score goals. Though he needs to be more calm and professional in the box.
Spot on my dear brother. Am mostly baffled by his low rating of Nwakali especially after his decent shift against the sudanese, where his composure and his near perfect ball distribution was second to none. I think people should learn dispell their inclination for personal biases when analyzing the performance of these boys. We have been starved of our wonderful brand of football by the low key German coach, and now that we are witnessing a reinvention of our identity, baseless criticism is hardly needed.
You guys didn’t see the pass he released from the right centre of the pitch to sudanesse at the centre of the pitch, you guys didn’t see when he was playing backward when he just needed to open his eyes to see someone in his front. He affected the flow of game with his backward passes
I too wonder exactly what they want from the young player
Thank you Akp. Your really very observant.
All these players are really doing a good job especially those who are joining the team for first time.
Lets not forget that this team didnt have the best preparation for this competition and when you factor in that quite a few of them are playing for the eagles for the first time, you will understand that they need more time to gel.
The more they play together the better their understanding will be. Sadiq umar has been making cameo appearances from the bench. Is 10mins enough to rate him low?
Awoniyi is starting in only his second game, and he has a goal from a set-piece, that is a start. If I remember correctly Victor Osimhen first GOAL for the Super Eagles was from a penalty in a friendly game and from there he has been firing on all cylinders.
Nwakali is still finding his feet in the team, yes he needs to inject some pace into his game but all that will come with time.
We need to encourage these players and not rubbish their efforts because when they finally settle into the team it, the result will speak for itself.
You are very correct with your analysis joor, some people just analysing based on their desires for someone not by the real image of such persons
This is one of the most lopsided analysis on CSN. This writer is really dumb.
Thanks for your observation. CSN said at the end of their analysis that Samuel Chukwueze “was a thorn in their flesh on the right”. That was a LIE!
“His replacement, Umar Sadiq was criticised by head coach Austine Eguavoen after the game for failing to carry out his instruction on the pitch.”.
Complete Sport, are you sure the criticized this player in this manner after the match. Ẹ bẹru Ọlọhun o
IAM LESS CONCERN WHETHER AWONIYI OR SADIQ STEP UP THEIR GAME OR NOT. OPPORTUNITY COMES AT ONCE. NIGERIA DIDN’T HAVE MUCH TIME TO BE GIVING PLAYERS FIVE MATCHES TEST BEFORE THEY PROVE THEMSELVES. THAT’S THEIR CUP OF TEA. THEY DIDN’T EVEN SHOW POTENTIALS OF BECOME FUTURE STRIKER. IT IS ONE THING TO BE SCORING GOALS, IT IS ANOTHER THING TO HAVE POTENTIAL. IN 1994 AFCON, DANIEL AMOKACHI DIDN’T SCORE A SINGLE GOAL, BUT NIGERIANS BELIEVE IN HIS POTENTIAL CONTRIBUTION IN THE TEAM. LIKEWISE ALSO IN ATLANTA 96.
AFTER AFCON LET THE COACH TRY CYRIEL DESSSERS, MOFFI, LOOKMAN, AMOO. THESE PLAYERS HAVE MUCH POTENTIALS APART FROM SCORING GOALS. AND I BELIEVE THEY WILL GRAB THEIR CHANCES IN ONE MATCH. LET INVITE THEM FIRST.
The butter and bread are very far from desser as he plays only 5 minutes par game. Odion Ighalo plays full 90 minutes n is more the player with the knife to share the bread then put some butter, only then the chief chef would see smiles on the faces of the spectators. Bread share is first to eat.
Our analysis are as biased as our indigenous coaches whom are accused of fielding players they collect bribes from or are managers/scouts to thus play the favouritism card
Please in as much as this team is winning matches we need to be honest
Our wingers are poorly developed footballers especially Moses Simon
His overall output is poor
For a footballer to be developed he must have what is beyond skill strength and speed to his game
He must have tactical awareness ball sense and be precision
90% Moses Simon runs and crosses were wasted .
And if this is our best player then I am sorry …
We will be whipped blue black in the world cup if we qualify
Aso you are spot on.just compare Adams traore n Moses Simon.Very good on speed with the ball high intensity, Smart dribbles but at the end of it they can not cross/pick their team mate in the box…. The manager really need to work on this