Live Blogging: Benin Republic Vs Nigeria (2021 AFCON Qualifiers)

nigeria qualified already with 2 games to spare after a stalement between lesotho and s.leone ,this is more or less a dead rubber game

No need sef for this match, we dash them, and even our last game. We don qualify already.
LE 0 – SE 0

Benin just have to beg us, otherwise we would spoil the show for them after treating us bad yesterday. God of soccer already favoured us.

The game has no sparks still… Largely been a “dingdong” affair. Though Nigeria setup nicely…

Onyekuru n Ekong have been really impressive thus far, not taking anything from the team as a whole, though Iwobi’s absence clearly evident. Kudos guys. Really proud of this team.

Benin will always be benin . The hallmark of their game is strong defence and reliance on counter attacks. Eagles should continue to probe that defence. goals will surely come.welldone super eagles.

Let me start by saying that oga Rohr gave us a good starting line up there!

So far in this game I see no pattern of play ( always passing the ball backwards and then flip the ball to onyekuru, after that Benin player will outmuscled him then take the ball)

We dominated the game without much threat to the opposition which is given them confidence to lunch attacks on us.

Onyekuru‘s defensive contributions what mention also but final third  lack cohesion, missing some good chances.

Osihme has so far squandered two chances which is not good for a 70 million pounds player.
He really needs to improve.

It’s obvious that oga Rohr has nothing more to give this team, he should better seek for help or quit.

Onyekuru having his best game for NIgeria so far. Ndidi bossing the midfield. Nacho and Osimhen have combined well upfront, and both have come close to scoring. Sanusi’s runs on the left creating problems for the Squirrels. In the last minute of the first half, he ran past a Benin defender and clipped in a cross that Onyekuru met with a powerful header. I have no idea how that ball did not end up in the net.
Good performance from everyone so far.
It must be said though that Aribo looks tentative. His performance today has not been what you would expect from a number 10. Perhaps he is playing to Rohr’s instructions. But to me, his performance in this first half compared to what he does week in week out for Rangers, is like trying to compare a house cat to a lion.
Come on Aribo! We know what you’re capable of! If it is stage fright, we understand. But eventually, you’ve got to show us that quality we know is within you!

God bless my country nigeria, as they qualified for the africon cup of nation successfully may Our almighty GOD shows us a day that Will win for the cup successfully

Guys, una see the goal posts for this stadium, chai, dem nor even paint am lol. I mean d ones to hold up the net.

Benin don dey come out which is good for the eagles. One thing wen d eagles need to caution for is when we have a corner, there is only Aina at tge back, we may be exposed on the counter.

CAF abeg give us good pitches na

Well, finally Aribo sparks to life. We need more from you pls.

Nigeria in total control of this game. The big problem is the final third. The goal threat is not strong enough. And with Iheanacho subbed off, the main source of creativity in the middle is gone. Hmmm. Let’s see how it goes.

Rohr takes out Iheanacho, the liveliest player on the field and brings in a minus one player. Hehehe. What a coach! But let’s celebrate him for qualifying Nigeria in a group with Lesotho and Sierra Leone. Let’s not forget, if we don’t top the group, we’ll not get seeded.

Gooooooooaaaaalllllllll Nigeria 

All you onachu haters oya come out oooooooooooo. Gooalllllll

Onuachugoooaaaaal. Impressed with the now pressing Onuachu. Did well today and really happy for him. Thats how to play national team football Onuachu; no waiting for balls to come, press to have it as well as run unto passes. A big congrat for your impressive play/goal. Osimene yet to have his match in SE striking position no doubt; serious trouble maker for opposing defenders. Nacho man always a goal demon of any kind, just wasnt his day. Rohr is blessed with attacking options in this team, Everyone has goals in them. Now my oh my, Iwuala, ummmh, that boy, now I am convinced he belongs here but if I were him I resists any attempt to run to europe for now. He has it in him to shake the whole of Africa with the Chan eagles as well finding space in the main stream SE. Everybody including the coaching crew has done tremendiuosly well. A big big congratulations to you all. Not forgetting to send my well wishes to ALEXANDER THE GREAT IWOBI. WE/SE MISSED YOU.

Ola, indeed, Aribo was asked to play the double pivot with Ndidi. As you correctly said, from a tactical standpoint, that meant they both were tasked to provide protection for the back four. So yes, Aribo’s major job today was defensive. I agree.
My problem with Aribo has to do with the distribution. He played as if he was too afraid to give the ball away, most of the time. In football, you have to take some risk. Calculated risk, but risk all the same. If Fred, Rodri, Xhaka, Declan Rice, Ngolo Kante, etc play so many sideways and backwards passes, there teams will perhaps have more possession and be stronger defensively, but they not be as potent as they are in an attacking sense.
Many times in this game, Aribo would get the ball, and immediately return it to the same player that gave him the ball, putting that player under pressure. On the ball, he seemed ungainly, lacking in confidence. Most good, confident players want the ball, they demand it. And when the get it, they are comfortable and at home with the ball. The ball seems like a third leg to them. It just fits perfectly. Aribo just didn’t give that impression today. It got to the point where I noticed Ekong and Balogun stopped looking for him, because they know the ball is coming right back at them!
Aribo did put good pressure on the ball. He put himself about, made good tackles, covered a lot of ground. He just needs to be more adventurous with his passes and his general game. HE PLAYS TOO SAFE. TOO CONSERVATIVE.
He needs to pick up the ball in the midfield, and move it forward. Make forward runs, hit long range passes, be an attacking threat. I’m not asking him to do something that is strange and new to him. This is his game at Rangers. What stops him from doing this for Nigeria?
My criticism of Aribo may seem harsh today because I am disappointed in him. I was one of the first people to hype him on this site as a potential great, based on his performances for Charlton Athletic. When Taribo said he was too weak for African football, I was among those that defended him vigorously here.
Against Benin at home in Uyo, he was below par. We defended him. At Lesotho, he came up short. We defended him. I said he was tired due to jet lag. We all saw his performance against S/L in the 2 legs. Nothing to write home about. So I expected him to come out all guns blazing today. Give some of us who have been supporting him something to cheer.
Perhaps we are asking him to give what he doesn’t have. And that would be a major surprise, because I see him deliver for Rangers on a weekly basis. Is it the poor pitch? Is he uncomfortable in the African environment? Something is definitely amiss.
All I know is that the Aribo we see for Nigeria is not the same Aribo that lines up for Rangers. It is up to Rohr to reconcile the difference.