AFCON
Against Leone Stars, Super Eagles must avert a sixth ‘no-win’ match
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
Nigeria’s Super Eagles will be aiming to regain their esteem this Thursday evening as they begin the quest for qualification for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations will a home duel with Sierra Leone.
This is a duel like no other one. It is the first time ever the team has been compelled to play a home match behind closed doors following crowd behavior the last time they played at home.
Somehow, playing in an empty MKO Abiola National Stadium in Abuja has its advantage. The Super Eagles will not be put under crowd pressure.
But there is another pressure. First this is the third time in two years that the team will be facing Sierra Leone. Sadly, they have not been able to beat the Leone Stars in their last two encounters.
Worst still, when they met on Nigerian soil, the visitors did the incredible, coming back from a 30-minute four goals down to level up at 4-4 within 20 minutes. It was one of the most remarkable come-bact stories in African football.
It marked the first time Nigeria conceded four goals at home since their 6-2 loss to United Arab Republic (largely Egypt) in November 1959.
But the greater presure on the Super Eagles is the quest to return to the winning way. The last time they won a match was on 19 January this year in Garoua, Cameroon when they beat Guinea Bissau 2-0.
Since, they have gone five matches without a win. The last time Nigeria ran a five streak of ‘no win’ was 59 years ago when it took a whole year from 24 November 1963 to 27 December 1964 before Nigeria won a match having lost to Egypt, Sudan, twice to Morocco and losing on Nigerian soil to Togo on home soil to be out of contention for the football event of the 1st All Africa Games in Congo.
This Thursday’s encounter with Sierra Leone will be the sixth match since they last won a match in January. Beyond that, new coach on the saddle, Jose Peseiro under whom the the team has played two matches is expected to win his first match with the Super Eagles.
Meanwhile, the Leone Stars appeared a determined lot having being in Nigeria four days ahead of the encounter. Winning may not be their first thought, but frustrating the Super Eagles into a drawn game may likely be their mission.
BY KUNLE SOLAJA
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has clarified the position of interim manager of the Super Eagles, Austin Eguavoen. “He is still in charge”, the NFF Head of Communications, Ademola Olajire told Sports Village Square, this Wednesday.
Austin Eguavoen who is the Technical Director at the NFF was drafted to handle the Super Eagles when the negotiation with Germany’s Bruno Labbadia broke down. Eguavoen, a former Super Eagles player and later coach was drafted to rescue the situation.
It was claimed that having executed the Super Eagles’ immediate assignments, his job was done. But the NFF spokesman has clarified that nothing has changed from the initial announcement concerning Eguavoen.
“He remains with the team and his is an employee of the NFF which has drafted him to the Super Eagles. He remains there until the federation takes another decision.
“He was surprised when we landed from our Kigali trip and I showed the trending news on the social media.”
The Super Eagles’ next assignment will be on MatchDay 3 of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers next month when the team hosts Libya in Uyo.
Hitherto first choice striker, Victor Osimhen was again benched in Nigeria’s second match of the on-going Africa Cup of Nations qualifying series.
In Saturday’s match with Benin Republic, his having to start from the bench was hinged on his late arrival to camp. He came off the bench and found the net within six minutes.
But on Tuesday, he came in much earlier in the second half. Another striker, Taiwo Awoniyi who sat all through in the first match was a late substitute in the game against Rwanda.
At the post-match interview in Kigali, Eguavoen said that the striker’s fitness level was put to the test after a difficult summer that saw a failed move to Chelsea and a falling out with Napoli.
“Osimhen is our brother, you can’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. We know what he is going through in Napoli. He just moved to Galatasaray and has not been playing active football for a while now,” Eguavoen explained.
“We are trying to manage his fitness. He played the last 25 minutes in the previous game, and today we had a word with him that he can’t play 90 minutes or else he will get injured,” he added.
The coach also addressed his decision to limit minutes for other key players, including Taiwo Awoniyi, stating that fitness and the need to balance squad rotation were key factors.
“Awoniyi had a few minutes at his club before joining us,” Eguavoen explained. “We have 23 to 40 players to choose from, but only 11 can start. It’s frustrating, but the bonding is there, and everyone is on board.”
On the team’s formation, Eguavoen revealed the challenges of preparing the squad in a short period.
“We trained for three or four days before the Benin game and then had to come here. It’s very difficult to change formation,” he said, noting that the limited time prevented the opportunity for tactical adjustments.
Despite the tactical and fitness challenges, Eguavoen remains confident in his squad’s ability to qualify for AFCON 2025.
Benin Republic came from behind to defeat Libya 2-1 in the second match of Group D’s MatchDay 2 contest in Abidjan on Tuesday night.
With the victory, Nigeria’s western neighbours now rank next to the Super Eagles of the group’s log. The Nigerians on four points and not conceding any goal yet remain atop of the group while Benin Republic with three points rank next.
The Cheetahs of Benin however have a two goal deficit in goal difference. They opened their Tuesday night game with their back on the wall as they conceded a 9th minute penalty kick that was converted by Libya’s Faisal Saleh.
The Libyans carried the lone goal advantage to half-time. Five minutes into the second half, Benin Republic restored parity from a rifling shot by Steve Mounie.
They seized the momentum and got a penalty kick which Junior Olaitan converted. The match day 3 will hold next month as Nigeria hosts Libya while Benin, playing back-to-back at home will host Rwanda. Both matches will hold on 7 October.
Tuesday’s match results
Rwanda 0-0 Nigeria
Benin 2-1 Libya
Gabon 2-0 CAR
Botswana 0-4 Egypt
Cape Verde 2-0 Mauritania
Liberia 0-3 Algeria
Chad 0-2 CIV
Zambia 3-2 S’Leone
Guinea 1-2 Tanzania
Eswatini 0-1 Mali
Mozambique 2-1 G’Bissau
Namibia 1-2 Kenya
Zimbabwe 0-0 Cameroon
S’Sudan 2-3 S/Africa
B’Faso 3-1 Malawi
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