Fresh permutations as Eagles walk tight rope

The reigning African champions started their qualifying series on a disappointing note with a 2-3 home loss to the Red Devils of Congo. Three days after, the Eagles increased the misery of the entire nation by playing a drab 0-0 with the Bafana Bafana of South Africa in Cape Town.The Red Devils of Congo have […]

The reigning African champions started their qualifying series on a disappointing note with a 2-3 home loss to the Red Devils of Congo. Three days after, the Eagles increased the misery of the entire nation by playing a drab 0-0 with the Bafana Bafana of South Africa in Cape Town.
The Red Devils of Congo have gathered six points from two matches. They opened their campaign with a convincing 3-2 victory over Nigeria and 2-0 defeat of Sudan 1-0 in their second game to go top of Group A. On the other hand, South Africa also got off to a flying start by beating Sudan 3-0 before returning home to pick a point against the Super Eagles.
As things stand, Congo are on top of the group with six points and will have no problem qualifying for Morocco 2015. South Africa on four points also stand a good chance of picking the remaining group ticket, leaving Nigeria and Sudan to battle for the best loser slot in the group.
With four more matches to play, Nigerians have already dusted their calculators in order to start calculating how the Eagles could still make it to Morocco. As usual, Eagles are walking a tight rope and what happens in the other group fixtures would determine whether or not Nigeria would qualify.
Already Super Eagles home invincibility which has remained since 1981 was shattered by a lowly rated national team of Congo and the South Africans were not so fantastic but just unlucky to share spoils with the thoroughly demoralised Eagles.
With the less than convincing performances of the Eagles, it will be a herculean task for the Stephen Keshi team to win all its remaining group matches but that is what they are doomed to do, if they are going to qualify. Eagles must beat Sudan home and away, take its own pound of flesh against Congo and also defeat South Africa in the reverse fixture.
There is an opening named third best in each of the seven groups for the Eagles to exploit but as everybody knows, it will be a congested field and anything can happen. Only two countries will qualify on the platform to join the seven group winners and runners up to make up the 16 nations that will do battle in Morocco.
What then is the way out for the Super Eagles? Pundits have been speaking on the chances of the team and many are of the opinion that going by what the Eagles have exhibited so far, their chances of qualifying is really slim.
However, some are still optimistic that Eagles can still qualify even as they have boxed themselves into a very tight corner. For such incurable optimists, it is a matter of Keshi and his troops putting their acts together.
Speaking from the point of view of an optimist, former international, Dahiru sadi told SHOT! that despite the setback, Eagles will still qualify for Morocco 2015.
He said what the team should do is to win all its remaining matches. “We still have a big chance of qualifying. It is a matter of beating Sudan home and away and then finishing up with South Africa at home.
“Although anything can still happen to Congo, let me just say it is now a straight fight between Nigeria and South Africa. We must beat South Africa and also get a good result against Congo.
“My advice is that the Eagles should not panic. They must not succumb to any form of pressure. All hope is not lost,” he said.
Another former international, Garba Lawal said it is becoming embarrassing that each time Eagles are to qualify for a tournament, they wait and pray for other countries mistakes.
“He said it is not going to be easy for the Super Eagles to win all the remaining four matches. He said Bafana Bafana were not all that good against Nigeria but the Eagles still failed to pick the maximum points”.
Lawal therefore lamented the continued absence of Ikechukwu Uche and wondered why Keshi has not deemed it necessary to recall the Villarreal CF of Spain man even as he does not have better strikers in his team.
“Qualifying for the Nations Cup is going to be very very difficult for the Eagles. I am saying this because having watched their two games, I have not seen the zeal, commitment and determination.
“Well, if they must qualify, the Eagles should be ready to win all the remaining matches. It is not going to be easy but they have to keep struggling.
“And I find it hard to understand what Keshi is doing. He has refused to bring back Ikechukwu Uche even as it is clear that the player will add bite to the team’s attack. The team is not scoring goals and he is not thinking of bringing back the player who is scoring goals in a big league,” he stated.
Former Flying Eagles coach, John Obuh who spoke from a technical point of view said the Eagles performances in the two matches left much to be desired.
He laid the blame for the unimpressive performance on the door steps of the midfielders as he said they are usually too slow in connecting with the pacy strikers in the team.
H also said Eagles must do something special in the remaining matches, if they are to qualify for the 2015 Nations Cup.
Obuh said “If Nigeria is to qualify, the team must be ready to work for it. I have noticed that the midfielders are too slow and we have fast players upfront. Anytime the ball leaves the defence to the midfield, it is delayed.
“The midfielders must always get the balls to the attackers as quickly as possible. With the fast strikers in the team, we can catch our opponents on quick counter attacks but if the midfielders continue to be sluggish, this won’t happen.
“In addition, we have to reduce the number of fouls in our defence. It all boils down to patience. Most times, our defenders commit fouls in dangerous areas because they lack the patience to carefully guide their opponents.
“So as a Nigerian, I want the Eagles to go and defend their title but it is not going to be easy. Like I said before, they must do something extra-ordinary.
“Our midfielders are still young so I wonder why they are usually so slow. The Eagles must step up their game, if they are to qualify”.