Eagles worst performers against Congo and South Africa

The Eagles suffered an embarrassing defeat at home in the hands of Congo and narrowly escaped with a barren draw away to South Africa which leaves them and football minnows Sudan languishing at the bottom of the table.SHOT! takes a critical look at the performances of the Eagles who prosecuted the two matches and found […]

The Eagles suffered an embarrassing defeat at home in the hands of Congo and narrowly escaped with a barren draw away to South Africa which leaves them and football minnows Sudan languishing at the bottom of the table.
SHOT! takes a critical look at the performances of the Eagles who prosecuted the two matches and found the following players wanting. They have to step up their game.
Efe Ambrose – Even though the Celtic right back scored Nigeria’s first goal against the Red Devils in Calabar, he continued to struggle defensively (where it is his main job) against the Congolese. Congolese two goal hero Thierry Bifouma freely used the left side of right side of the defence where Ambrose operated. He also struggled against a very pacy Bafana Bafana side where Kenneth Omeruo had to constantly come to his rescue.
Mikel Obi – Well, what can one say that haven’t been said before?. Obi, remains Nigeria’s biggest player and much more is expected from the Chelsea man in terms of influencing play with incisive passes and momentous tackles but the most visible things we have seen from him in the two qualifying matches are his thoughtless ball throwing incident against Congo in Calabar (which fetched him a yellow card) and his ugly altercation with South African players in cape Town. The ‘catalyst’ as Mikel is known in some quarters has failed to be the true catalyst the Eagles need.
Ogenyi Onazi – Some might say in Onazi’s defence that he just recovered from a nasty injury he suffered in the hands of Frenchman Blaise Matuidi at the World Cup in Brazil, agreed but the Onazi Nigerians have seen in the last two matches is of great contrast to the one that massively impressed at the Mundial few months ago. Apart from causing the penalty that gave Congo their third goal in Calabar, he allowed the midfield to be overrun by both the Red Devils and the Bafana Bafana as he engaged in tactical indiscipline. If the Eagles are to have any hopes of qualifying, the SS Lazio player must revert to the midfield maestro we all saw in Brazil.
Gbolahan Salami – Accepted, the introduction of Emmanuel Emenike and Gbolahan Salami against Congo added impetus to Eagles game in Calabar and some might even argue it’s unfair for the Warri Wolves Striker to be included on this list considering the fact that he scored the goal that reduced the margin in that infamous encounter in Calabar but Salami’s woeful 80 minutes showing against South Africa has earned him an inclusion here. Apart from failing to get past Bafana’s left back, Thabo Matlaba, he also wasted two corner kicks which he was not suppose to have taken in the first place.
Uche Nwofor – It is now an open secret that Coach Stephen Keshi started Uche Nwofor ahead of Emmanuel Emenike against Congo to punish the Galatasaray striker for coming late to camp but he ended up punishing Nigerians as it was because the former Enugu Rangers player had only one decent effort in the game, when he latched onto an Nnamdi Oduamadi square pass to deliver a shot that missed target by whiskers. Apart from that single strike at goal, he did not justify his inclusion in the team.