Everton midfielder Idrissa Gana Gueye scored the decisive goal as Teranga Lions of Senegal defeated the Super Eagles of Nigeria 1-0 at the Hotel Mercure Ismailia pitch on Sunday in their final build-up game ahead of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations,
Completesports.com reports.
Gueye who is courted by French club Paris Saint Germain scored the winning goal on the half hour mark.
The Super Eagles battled hard to find the leveller after the break but were unable to find a way past the Teranga Lions’ defence led by Napoli centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly.
Gernot Rohr’s charges have now failed to register a goal in their last two games which will be a big worry for the German as his side head into AFCON 2019.
The West Africans were held to a 0-0 draw by the Warriors of Zimbabwe in their first pre-AFCON 2019 friendly game last Saturday at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba.
The Super Eagles are now expected to head to Alexandria where they will play their three Group B games against Burundi, Guinea and Madagascar.
They will open their campaign against Burundi on Saturday June 22 at the Alexandria Stadium.
Rohr charges will also face Guinea and Madagascar on June 26 and June 30 respectively in their other Group B matches.
By Adeboye Amosu
64 Comments
The Pitch is like a 5 a side pitch.
Thank God it wasn’t aired live!
I hope there were positives from the match!
Go Eagles!
You can’t win matches with Akpeyi even his club chippa have relegated him to the bench because this guy called Akpeyi demoralises a team as a whole by his mere presence.
Ezenwa is our key option lets forget about Kastina record because our league clubs are inconsistent so you don’t expect him to do miracles.
That been said i didn’t watch the match to comment more on team performance but Rohr should be wise to see what is ahead of him.
Abeg na for KAIZER CHIEF im dey play. Mind you, u see him on the bench sometimes bcos South Africa captain is there. Dalu.
Yes you’re right but he has been a disaster from Chippa to Kaizer. We can not use this PSL laughing stock as our main keeper please his position as No3 is enough in the team. South Africans will celebrate whenever they find him in post.
Akpeyi only missed 5 games this season. Of 29 games, he played 24. On the bench for 5 games.
The South African keeper is out for the season and the second keeper from Namibia I think, came in for 5.
He played 83% of the games he was eligible for this season. Let’s call a spade a spade, although he’s played more games this season than both the other keepers in the squad combined, it’s still a tossup between himself and Ezenwa.
https://www.transfermarkt.com/daniel-akpeyi/leistungsdaten/spieler/28725
BigD if you follow kick off you’ll understand how calamitous Akpeyi is rated. And check the fumbling goals he’s conceded since he arrived kaizer and how hes succeeded drowning them down the table.
Ezenwa is far ahead of this two other goalkeeper Akpeyi and Uzoho. In my opinion goalkeeping is about reflex and not height or hot head that this two of Uzoho and Akpeyi possess.
They are always a suspect. Goalkeeping should never have been a problem for Nigeria when we have Ezenwa,Ajiboye, Alampasu and even Theo. Not all this Akpeyi Uzoho Oremade or butter who lacks natural goalkeeping talent.
I’m solidly behind you Mr Samuel, Akpeyi does not deserve a spot in the team, he’s always between the stick to Model, lacks confidence
You see why we cannot trust these guys! Not that they are not good players infact we have better players than senegal but the senegalese playes with more understanding and team is mor organise than that of naija. Rohr is a try and luck coache
What an Unfortunate personality of a Coach we have here ?
But it’s not his fault because when you have a man filled with evil and vengeance spirit in charge of Piloting Nigeria football Affairs that is what you get at the end of the day . Amaju Pinnick is reaping what he sowed against The Big Boss Keshi leading to his untimely death.A Coach that sacrifice so much without a better packages and supports but Rather he continued to encourage himself and his boy’s to make this country proud with laudable achievements to show for it but was hunted by Amaju Pinnick and his rented Sports journalist gang’s till The Big Boss droped death to enable them to bring in their White Messiah Coach so How market today? Upon parading energetic young players playing regularly in Europe at top level with Champions league Experience still The White Messiah can’t even qualify the Team to round of 16 in Russia as f that is not enough here again he has just started laying another foundation for failure in Egypt without kicking the ball yet meanwhile he just lost l nil to Senegal in his Final preparation match before meeting the Burundians in few days time to the competition. Evil will always seek its vengeance(Amaju Pinnick. Theirs Elohyim
You dey vex gan ooooo
Man, stop saying things you do not know. Don’t open can of worms man. Those who out of vengeance towards Nigeria football, after being denied the opportunity to lead Nigeria to 2002 world,going into deep spiritual oat against Nigeria football unless they got settled, only reaped the sad consequences. We don’t mess about with d cosmic otherwise we reap of it’s grave consequences. So stop blaming Pinnick or anybody else for any bodies death. In as much as I will always adore late Keshi as one of Nigeria’s best ever footballer, he messed his hands up as our national team manager. But for Amodu, I always loved him as manager, one if not Nigeria s best ever local coach. But both might have taken their anger too far.
Rohr is an unintelligent, trial and error coach.if you know you know. He has been battling with this 352 formation since last year without any headway. Have you all forgotten all the uninspiring friendly matches we played enroute 2018 world cup? He’s quick to give excuses like “my team is young team” etc
I love this match. Thank God they lost this pre tournament match. Nigeria will surprise her doubters. This Afcon is just like 2013 edition. Nigerians will smile once again by fire.l!!!
Kd10 I don’t think it right to judge any time Nigeria lose before any main event we go on to do well in d main event ,check record let just support them ad hope for d best
Nigeria does well u praise, she doesn’t performs well u insult. Why not encourage these young lads. That dey lost the match today doesn’t mean dey have lost Afcon. Have faith in them until the final result of the Afcon. Nigerians will always be Nigerians.
I no understand some people on this forum. Why are some worked up just by the result of this friendly? I bet guys like KD1O didn’t even watch the match. I remember in my response to a write up Deo posted that indicated the “5 things to expect from the Senegal friendly” the writer predicted loads of goals which i clearly disagreed with. Instead i predicted a 1-0 either way or a 0-0 scoreline for the clear fact that with just days to kickoff, both teams will not go full throttle. It would be extremely foolish to judge Nigeria or Senegal on this match as that is not what you’ll see in the tournament proper. Both coaches will just be fine tuning some stratergies and working on match fitness. For those crying wolf please go back and check Nigeria did not win any of their friendly matches before AFCON 2013, including the game against Cape Verde, but the rest is history. All that matters is what happens from June 22. Remember we beat Argentina in a friendly before WC 2018 but what happened in the tournament? Now ask yourself, especially KD10, what do you prefer?
CSN, please I am waiting for details, even if it is in another article.
The photo you guys posted isn’t clear. I can only guess one of them looks like Ndidi and the other like Mikel.
Please tell us about the substitutions and how the players performed individually.
Thank you!
CSN please tell us about the line up, formation, etc.
Some details please!
@Bomboy, the match was played behind closed doors, so obviously CSN reporters or other sports journalist,were not allowed in. So except the super Eagles media officer or the coaching crew opens up, every body will remain in the dark.
If this strategy will help the team better, not a bad idea, because the most important matches are the Afcon proper.
if we manage reach semis for afcon we try walahi,.. we get good players only on papers,but on the pitch,very very average.
I’m just bothered about Nigeria consistently losing to Senegal at all levels (except the girls of course) – Beach Eagles, U17, U20, SE. Even with their Cisse as coach? What the blah!! I feel it may result in negative psyche with the players before lining up.
You should have your head examined if you think super eagles can beat the current Senegal team because we don’t even have average team talkless of these crops of below average players.senegal have a solid team twice better than eagles
From this match, it seems I found the following:
1. Daniel Akpenyi could start in goal.
2. Against lesser calibre teams like Burundi, Madagascar, the coach will go with a 4-3-3 and against much stronger or team of same caliber, it will be 3-5-2(or switching to 4-3-3, if it does not click).
3. Ighalo leads the attack and Omeruo may likely be a starter.
4. The coach is still calling this team young despite 80% of them(the players), having played at the World Cup.
5. Lastly, Iwobi may start as an attacking midfielder in front of two holding midfielder in a 4-3-3 in the first game.
The behind-closed-doors friendly was held at the training pitch of the Hotel Mercure in Ismailia on Sunday evening.
Barring an injury, everything is pointing to the fact that Daniel Akpeyi is now the Super Eagles first choice goalkeeper as he got the nod from manager Gernot Rohr to start ahead of Ikechukwu Ezenwa and Francis Uzoho.
Th trio of Kenneth Omeruo, Troost-Ekong and John Ogu lined up in central defence in a 3-5-2 formation, the midfield contained Jamilu Collins, Obi Mikel, Wilfred Ndidi, Alex Iwobi and Samuel Kalu, while Odion Ighalo and Samuel Chukwueze started in attack.
Thanks 4 d info.
Some people are just myopic in thinking. They lost an inconsequential match u they started blabbing calling the coach names, Even Morocco that you guys have been praising have lost 2 friendly matches now they lost to Zambia who didn’t even qualify for nations cup today. For wailers who want to pull the coach and NFF down at all means let’s see how it goes after the competition. Argentina have been winning their friendly matches since the appointment of their new coach before now but what happened during the competition now? they were spanked by Colombia yesterday. Between winning inconsequential friendly matches and fail at the big stage what do you prefer? wailers think very well cos that team will go places in Egypt..
Some lil balance.
Urm Colombia not a piece of cake anyway,so their victory over the Argies is no shock at all.
Colombia is ranked 12th in d world,Argie 11th. Colombia has lost no “inconsequential” friendly, since last year,they actually won all,except one – a nil all draw with thesame Argentina Sept,2018.
Na here I talk reach,just balance I present.
No comment,on the major topic here.
Friendlies after WCup,I mean.
The victory of Senegal over Nigeria is also not a shock at all. Latest Fifa ranking puts Senegal at 22, while Eagles at 45 in the world. So those expecting us to run over Senegal with ease should wake from their fantasy dream and face reality.
If all the Senegal stars played the friendly match and we lost 1:0, then it really a good sign that we would go far in this AFCON. Because we have just played the best team in Africa, and we can only get better with the lessons learnt and a little more fine tunning. So Super Eagles are gearing up to fly into Afcon. Go Super Eagles any make us proud.
mane was rested
Ah, rested sef.
It is easier to talk football than to play it.
Guy you have just spoken my mind d coach is just trying to fine tune his players and know who wld play or not if Nigeria is to meet Senegal in d semis I bet u they cannot an d wld not beat naija but really am.not expecting d eagles to win d trophy but I av giving it to Egypt thank you
Well, I wouldn’t say much since I didn’t watch the match… it will nice if CS gives us detail of the match so we can have something to say. I kind of like the outcome so our boys wouldn’t feel they’ve arrived.
Hmmmm, I have said it all before now. So therefore, I am just watching now. In fact, I have said more than enough. Now, let the excuses begins wela. Na look me I dey luku ooo. God bless Nigeria!!!
I want to appreciate Tayo,Kene,Adisboy,kola,and Paul for their deep reasoning and their ability to analyze issues rightly. It is unfortunate that some of the guys contributing in this forum are bundle of pessimists. Super Eagles will remain undaunted and unruffled no matter what the pessimists do. Thanks.
Omo9ja which way I always laugh after reading your comments.
Like I always say, 4-2-3-1 is the best formation for Nigeria, Iwobi play behind the attackers like Cotinho in Brazil formation. I can say with full confidence, From midfield to the frontline of Brazilian is not better than Nigerian attackers except Cotinho and I can assure you that Iwobi will perform Cotinho on his normal day. I think Rohr need to switch his formation to 4-2-3-1 to get it right.
@Chima E Samuels, funny you bro lol. Well, It is too late my man. God bless Nigeria!!!
Abeg me I no dey enjoy this our coach atall,I think we needed a young vibrant oyinbo coach insted of this baba 67.god bless naija
Sort of but age doesn’t play the coaching game. Just that this oyinbo is not a real one he has an African brain and blood somehow.
Talking about excuses… This calls 4 a look in :According to various reports in the Senegalese press, Rohr decided to call off the friendly few hours before the start of today’s meeting with the Lions of Teranga at the training pitch of the Hotel Mercure in Ismailia.
The former Bayern Munich defender stated that he did not want to play the second friendly with his second eleven or substitutes, and wants to avoid injuries before their Africa Cup of Nations opener.
There are questions marks over the fitness of three key players in the Nigeria team, with Ahmed Musa, Leon Balogun and Abdullahi Shehu not named in the starting line-up for today’s friendly in what was supposed to be a dress rehearsal for Saturday’s match vs Burundi.
In addition, Everton winger Henry Onyekuru is confirmed to have picked up the sickness bug sweeping the Super Eagles camp.
I would continue to hold my peace until after the first match, first Zimbabwe now Senegal, this not looking pretty right now,hopefully Rohr will surprise us when real the things starts.This Afcon would be the toughest in years Rohr and is boys should please bring their A game.stated before saying it again I ve my doubt about Iwobi competing against these monster African defenders.Lifting the cup this year with these players is possible, if Rohr can get it right.
Sunnyb abeg leave Iwobi alone he’s the only technical player who knows ball aside MikEl. If football was by brutality Africans would have been running over the whites and winning WC like play.
The game is all about brains and Iwobi is one of the few Africans who use their head to play and not some headless speed and robust African football without end result eventhough I know referees are also guilty of bias calls against Africans but in is case it is Africans against white Africans. Lol let’s see how the politics favors the white north Africans.
Every thing will be ok. The coach is good and deserve his rating in Africa today.
Too many nay sayers everytime the Eagles lose.
Hahahaha….bros….some people have been in pain for years. They’ve been praying for the eagles to loose but to deaf hears. Finally, the heavens have thankfully heard their prayers by allowing the eagles to loose a kick-about game played on the practice pitch of a hotel to a team ranked 23 places ahead of us and now they’ve come out to rejoice. LMAO. They’ve not had course to rejoice for a very long time now. So please let them have their field day.
If results of the Pre-AFCON friendlies played in the last 2 weeks are to go by, then Zambia (who didn’t even qualify) and Namibia would be playing in the AFCON finals..they are the only ones to have won 2 matches so far. The likes of Morrocco, Nigeria, Ghana and even CIV should be ready to crash out of the group stages since they are yet to win any.
Mind you, we were meant to have another kick-about game with Senegal this afternoon on the same pitch but it had to be called off due to illness to key players.
So please let the naysayers have their field-day now because their gut will be shut very soon as they have been for years now….Lolz
Pre AFCON 2019 friendly games:
Zambia 3-2 Morocco
Senegal 1-0 Nigeria
Uganda 1-0 Ivory Coast
Namibia 1-0 Ghana
DR Congo 1-1 Kenya
Ghana 0-0 South Africa
No need reading too much into the results. Teams are using the Games to test tactics, formations and players.
The real test comes on Saturday
Bros Senegal beat us Period and they didn’t even field Mane in that game. My only hope is that the 3 group games gives our boys the chance to blend before the business end of the Competition kicks off
Re post :
From My Observations I find that @Omo9ja I always Like your comments because you are from the old school Nigeria mentality when it comes to ball that Naija is the best in Africa lately I feel that due to poor team selections by indigenous coaches bribery from agents over the years and, lately Poor tactical in game selections and substitutions by Gernot rohr at the recently concluded World Cup we have been as Nigerians robbed of that feeling of being a proud Footballing nation rather we have become a cautious one. Otherwise how can you explain a coach talking of his team as a group of average players with no stars??? and then calling Egypt favourite because they have Salah..
Okay does Nigeria not Have Wilfred Ndidi the best Tackler and Defensive Midfielder in the premier league (2 seasons in a row) by a mile (Is that not a Star Defensive Midfielder???) or Samuel Chukwueze the best African player under 21 in Europe and World Football now currently valued at 63 million Euros (is he not a Star in the making) or Henry Onyekuru carries the Champions of Turkey on his back and is being courted by some of the top clubs in Europe now i.e Bayern Munich to name one (is he not a star), What of Alex Iwobi an in form Arsenal star scored a thunder bolt in the Europa finals is he not a star in Africa. where as Egypt only have Salah but in Rohrs books they are bigger favourites than us RUBBISH!!!!. The coach is talking and at the same time making our players doubt thier abilities and level of play if i remember clearly this is the same tactics he used in the world cup and it backfired because when they met Croatia with modric they were standing and almost asking for Autograph lolz. were as Ndidi was playing second round round of 16 champions league against Griezmann just a few months earlier.
I mean, upon all the players i mentioned in my write up we still have Mikel Obi a former Champions League winner with Chelsea. and, not to mention our defenders as well as, Ahmed Musa a lethal attacker on his days.. If you ask me By African Standards does Nigeria not posses one of the best teams in this tournament?.
My people I ask you??.. .
Abeg! this tactic of this Coach Rohr making the players feel that the other teams I.e. Senegal and Egypt etc are better than them will back fire if time is not taking, or maybe it is just the coaches fear because he believes that those teams he mentions continuously as favourites are, coached by coaches better than him, because on paper in my view our team is stronger than at least 23 of the 24 teams in that tournament…Thank you
Add on to Re- post
Now we have lost to Senegal who is in my books the only team that rivals us on Paper. out of the 24 teams. but still a warm up as it may be game should have ended in a draw because psychologically it is not good for the boys. thank you Rohr for backfiring mind games
@Ugo I am forced to agree with you with the sweet lovely noticeable facts out of sincerity and love of a beloved country, most especially this point “Nigerians robbed of that feeling of being a proud Footballing nation rather we have become a cautious one”
Unlike some dumbass brain on this forum thinking you hate your country and pray for them to loose in other to criticise them. Honestly speaking if we all fold our hands and allow things to be going astray we will be reduced to Ugandan level or Zimbabweans that we can not even defeat.
If Naija wins Afcon i will give credit to the naija spirit factor and not the coach but i see this as a dream hoping it will happen as an average Nigerian but this will hide alot of truth like the coach who keeps making our players to play with jitters even ahead Burundi he has started blowing trumpet soon you will start hearing beware of Behraino of Burundi when we have super uncountable better players.
This negative psyche is killing our players if you can not give them the kind of rootless zeal teams senegal Cameroon etc possess then please Rohr keep quiet because this is a country that has produced great players better than Sane and Salah in the past.
Nigerians should stop calling people names if they point out weaklinks in the team same way we praise same way we will point of weakness. Even though people like Omo9ja sometimes overshoot the horizon due to emotions and other factors i will not say but we should all be honest in our judgement in as much as we all love the country.
@Chima E Samuels I am glad we can agree one thing because most times we are at each others throat, But at the end of the day we are still brothers and want the same thing to see Nigeria and the super Eagles Succeed and live up to its true potential be it football and other aspects of society, because for long this sleeping giant tag has been thrown around to no avail because a giant who sleeps forever is a dead giant that will never wake.
Genort Rohr is really damaging our players self belief with this his underdog mentality he is trying to instill in them instead of making them feel they are the best he is making them belief they are second best, now tell me how will they lift this cup if they don’t within themselves belief that they are the best fit to lift it. Thank you
How did the Senegalese player in the picture shot into the air and is so comfortable with the ball all to himself. The SE players are stunned. Shows that the physical trainer of the Senegalese are sitting up. Can the same be said of the SE?
Soccer has evolved past the stage of “kick and follow”. You must have something peculiar to offer if you have to stay on top. Any wonder the Senegalese are the numero uno in Africa?
No comment yet until the competition kick uff properly
Super eagles may win afcon by miracle. We dont have a good coach majourity of our players are overated and below average etebo.ogu.awaziem.uzoho.akpeyi.shehu.are below average balogun.ekong.musa.collins.ighalo.aina.are overated onyekuru.mikel and iwobi are the super stars simion.kalu.osimen.chukwueze.omeruo are average. SE will get better in future with a good coach a good coach can not go to a tournament with akpeyi and uzoho there are good players better than what we have in camp now ike uche is still playing and scoring goals in spain he is better than onuachu. azubuike okechukwu. Anderson esiti are better than ogu.
Are you for real. Ike uche better that onuachu currently? Nawa oooo
‘Solidarity team and 7 new young players team of oga rohr. Hmmm na wa.
Zero confidence on this coach. Rohr has a loser mentality. Like technically preparing for failure with ahead of time excuses. My young team. I think we can get out of our group. One game at a time. We are playing friendly match with Senegal the best Africa team. Burundi have players in England and Europe and south Africa that means they will be dangerous opponent. My people, that isn’t the mentality or words of a serial winner! Rohr wants Nigeria to be very happy be at world cup. A world cup team, that says alot. Jesus Nigeria is a serial winning football team.amaju pinnick should tell him. Nations cup runner up or semi final is considered a big failure that is Nigeria for you a serial multiple winners. How many trophies has rohr won in his whole career as manager? Zero! Wholeever knows rohr must tell him to oozed
A winner mentality with his words and brave approach to win match against all odds. Study amunike interviews with small tanzanian team and check the difference. Amaju must be queried and questioned if Nigeria fail to win this afcon whilst playing scintillating football. We go dey observe things! Too many future explanations of failure even before the ball is kicked…
….If Nigeria is a serial winner with just 3 AFCON titles…what should we call EGYPT who has won 7 (SEVEN) Afcon titles.
Nigerian fans love living under all sorts of illusions…! Lolz
really i laugh too serial winners of afcon lol
Up Gueye.Eagles sorry.
They have lost again and some people will say it’s only a friendly. They said same thing before last World Cup when Nigeria lost against Chech republic and Serbia. Form is not like a tap that you can turn on and off at will.
You should be win all types of games be it Friendly or Enemy match to boost your confidence and move up the FIFA rankings
@ sonny
have u ever heard of the name jero shakpoke; that guy by far would ve been our best rightback in SE jersey but got injure in a friendly match a week or two b4 d world cup,naija that i know will neva give its best in a friendly b4 a tournament cos of injury atlanta 96 squad couldn’t beat kenya in lagos (i watched live in surulere) b4 winning atlanta 96,prior to france 98 we lost to netherland and two other teams 0-1 0-3 0-5 b4 beating spain tournament favorites 3-2;likewise keshi 2013 SE westerhoff winning squad of 94 afcon couldn’t win friendly matches allow d tournament to start per se b4 u start blaming but been an ardant follower of the game there are alot of bad belles that neva wish d country good…
this weekend is gonna be interesting enjoy the matches u see and hope for fair officating from north africans despite VAR and wish u national team d best of luck thats all they need instead of …..
Jerry Shaka-pokey…according to the ESPN commentator of that game against Jamaica in Kingston. That guy was really really unfortunate. He never really found his footing in the game ever since.