Former Nigeria defender, Ben Iroha, has commended the Super Eagles for their emphatic 4-1 win in Thursday night’s World Cup qualification African play-off Semi-final match against Gabon in Rabat, Completesports.com reports.
Akor Adams handed Nigeria the lead 12 minutes before the final whistle, with many thinking the gritty tie had been settled. But Gabon stunned the Nigerians with an 88th-minute equaliser, dragging the game into extra time.
During the 30-minute extra time, Chidera Ejuke restored the Super Eagles’ lead before Galatasaray forward and Nigeria’s talismanic striker, Victor Osimhen, scored a brace to seal a 4-1 win for Nigeria.
Super Eagles’ Fighting Spirit Impresses Iroha
Iroha spoke to Completesports.com from his base in Texas, USA, after the game, saluting the Eagles for a job well done.
He noted that the team is now closer to World Cup qualification and challenged Coach Eric Chelle’s men to approach the DR Congo clash as “a must-win” encounter.
“It was a good job by the team. It’s kudos to them, and I believe this is a sign that they can still make it to the World Cup finals,” Iroha told Completesports.com on Friday.
Iroha added that the team displayed tremendous fighting spirit despite their wastefulness in front of goal.
Super Eagles’ Extra-Time Brilliance Seals the Win
“From start to finish, they demonstrated that burning desire and determination to win. Yes, they missed lots of scoring chances but their dominance of the game was manifest.
“They were not able to convert their chances, the worst being the last-minute wasted opportunity by Victor Osimhen. If he had converted that chance after racing with the ball from the Super Eagles’ end of the pitch, the game wouldn’t have gone into extra time.”
The Super Eagles scored three goals inside the 30 minutes of extra time to set up a final clash versus DR Congo, who edged the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon 1-0 in the other play-off tie on the same day.
Eagles Must Approach DR Congo ‘As a Battle’ — Iroha
“I believe the Super Eagles are now in a strong position to get the World Cup ticket. Their confidence is high even though I know the match versus DR Congo will be tough,” Iroha remarked.
Also Read: 2026 WCQ Playoffs: Awaziem Laments Ndidi’s Suspension; Ejuke Happy With Performance Against Gabon
“DR Congo’s win over Cameroon shows that there’s a shift in football powers and that there are no minnows in the game anymore. So, the Super Eagles should not take the game against DR Congo lightly.
“For DR Congo to have defeated Cameroon shows their strength and quality. It means they are a strong side and the Super Eagles should be aware of that.
“It’s now or never. It’s what we normally call ‘the battle of Mombassa’. A win now takes us (Super Eagles) to the World Cup Intercontinental play-offs, and we cannot afford to make mistakes,” Iroha concluded.
By Sab Osuji
10 Comments
BATTLE OF MOMBASSA? 🙂
Personally, I think Nigeria’s chances of defeating Congo will be greatly enhanced by limiting the lapses of the liabilities in this Super Eagles outfit.
Coach Chelle has already addressed one of them by demoting Ekong to the bench, but more needs to be done.
Congo are a highly credible outfit with arguably the best back four pairing in African football at the moment. Make no mistakes, Congo is rock solid defensively.
In midfield, they are compact without the ball but offensively, they are nowhere near Nigeria’s level.
Osihmen is top 5 global center forward class and as a unit, the Super Eagles under Chelle generate a raft of dangerous scoring chances. But for carelessness, Osihmen could either have had a brace in the first half against Gabon or he could easily have delivered the kiss of death in the last minute of the match.
With all the off Field distractions around this team, the Super Eagles appear to remain focused, resolute and united around the common goal of making the most of this second chance to the qualify for the world cup.
As a unit, you have to say the Super Eagles have a slight edge over Congo. Some would say the gulf in class between both teams is wider in favour of Nigeria.
But, in my estimation, we have far greater liabilities than Congo. Should Congo target and capitalise on the lapses of those liabilities, it’s over for Nigeria.
Liabilities:
Nwabali must release the ball within 3 seconds or else a smart centre forward will rob him off it. He always seems to be a heartbeat away from making costly errors.
Ejuke hardly tracks back. If he did, Congo would never have equalised.
Osayi-Samuel is great going forward but can be caught napping at times at the back.
Iwobi, a great guy with a great heart can really be more imposing at the middle. After all, he has been playing that role long enough for Nigeria.
As an outfit, the entire Super Eagles machinery becomes a liability late in matches as Chelle’s Super Eagles have yet to master the art of seeing our games: conceding late, needless goals when victory was more or less in the bag, has become a recurring theme of this team.
Honestly, if these lapses can be addressed effectively, I boldly predict that the Super Eagles will defeat Congo convincingly 3:1 and the team will go on to at least reach the semifinals of the Afcon.
The team is good, lapses from liabilities remain a sore thumb.
With Ajayi available, I doubt Osayi will start the game tomorrow. I suspect he was either a midfielder or striker early in his career, but got converted to a defensive role as Mou did to Mikel at Chelsea as a DM.
My biggest worry is Nwabali, as you’ve also highlighted. He may cost us a goal soon. The way he hangs on to the ball and waits for the opposing strike to get close to him is so annoying. Especially not with Congo’s players who’re always lurking in the 18, hoping for a loose ball, slip-up, or momentary loss of concentration at the back.
If I am the SE Coach, I will bench Nwabali for Maduka Okoye in tomorrow’s match. Eric need to show us he’s got balls, stand by his conviction and damn the consequences (good or bad).
It is very absurd to see how a goalkeeper that concedes goals yanfu yanfu every week in South Africa PSL with a team that is rooted at the bottom of the league table (I mean last on the log o with 7 points from 12 matches, and a goals difference of -12) could be benching Okoye, a 1st choice keeper in a Serie A Top Ten club.
A despite all of Nwabali’s deficiencies and shenanigans ooo, I even believe that the guy dey shack something before Nigeria matches as evidenced by his numerous irrational behaviour on the pitch
Maduka Okoye is decent enough in goal, and he is miles ahead of Nwabali
Kel,
Please don’t fall for the fallacy that Chelle made “like for like” changes against Gabon the other day. That is pure nonsense.
Yes, Lookman and Chukwueze have similar profiles to subs Simon and Ejuke, they performed very different roles on the pitch.
For Lookman and Chukwueze, Chelle elected to go narrow in the first half. Hence our formation looked something like 4-2-2-2.
The width was provided predominantly by fullbacks Zaidu and Osayi-Samuel, with the former overlapping to deliver crosses and the latter cutting in, in an inverted style
Hence, go back and watch, Lookman and Chukwueze were more narrow than they were comfortable. However, Lookman still created through passes from that narrow position, one of which Osihmen fluffed badly.
When the substitutions were made, Simon and Ejuke assumed a more wider stance, stretching the field and delivering crosses. The emphasis had changed, it was a tactical substitution despite what some never-Chellers would like you to believe.
When Lookman and Chukwueze were on the pitch, we played 4-2–2-2 with a narrow emphasis. When Simon and Ejuke were introduced, it clearly became 4-4-2 with a wider emphasis.
Anybody claiming Chelle made like for like subs without acknowledging the shift in emphasis, needs to go and drink a glass of 7Up.
Thank you oga deo, I am even surprised Dr. Drey didn’t noticed coach Chelle substituted a midfielder (Onyeka) for an attacker (Adams) after Nigeria had scored to see of the match untill the unfortunate goal from Gabon. I think Drey should rewatch the match this time with an unbiased mind and he will surely appreciate the good works of the maestro Chelle.
You didn’t have to try hard to convince Dr.drey,because he just like any forum member have right to their opinion..
If he thinks Chelle isn’t good technical enough it’s his choice.
In life not everything is worth stressing over…
*…Also, Frederick normally wouldn’t go beyond the midfield line except maybe in a corner kick situation…. ”
Edit
Wow @deo that was another angle I didn’t notice quickly until you analyzed the switch on formation here. Yes, true, Ejuke and Simon played wider compared to Lookman and Chukwueze who were limited in where they could roam. No wonder something shifted in that period. Good catch!
That emphasis also relieved the wing backs of extra work and made them concentrate more on their main defensive duties as we already conceded them.
Also Frederick normally would go beyond the midfield when it’s not a corner kick situation. But he moving up and even giving a goal assist couldn’t have been a coincidence, but an instruction on adjustment to role at that stage of the match. Ndidi, a DM also did the same.
Chelle and his assistants are clearly observant and make tactical changes. After that error change against Zimbabwe in Nigeria, guy has really improved with his subs.
Thank you, Deo, for your effort.
It is clearly shown that one of us on this platform believes he knows football, but he knows nothing about football.
He hates Chelle for nothing and he is not a Nigerian. He doesn’t want Nigeria to progress to the World Cup because he is always in support of Oga Rohr. What a shame.
He’s still feeling the pains that Eric Chelle caused Oga’s Benin team for not making it to the World Cup.
Anyway, I don’t want to pay much attention to the young man; rather, let’s focus on tomorrow’s match, which is crucial to our dream of reaching the World Cup in front of our enemies.
Nigeria’s enemies are in trouble after the victory tomorrow. God will do it again for us and the haters will be shocked once again.
I wish the Super Eagles good luck. Ire o. God bless Nigeria!!!