AFCON
Another load of rubbish by the Super Eagles!
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
It was a disaster that waited to happen. The Super Eagles were rendered ordinary, losing 2-1 on home soil to Rwanda. And it flashed like a horror movie as an overhyped side, breaming with stars from the top leagues of Europe, was turned into a laborious outfit.
Yes, they have qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations, yet they lost their dignity. On the green field, they failed to win convincingly any of their last four matches – a goalless draw with Rwanda in Kigali and a laborious 1-0 defeat of Libya in Uyo were followed by a face-saving 1-1 draw with Benin Republic and a disgraceful 2-1 home loss to Rwanda.
It was Nigeria’s first loss to Rwanda since 2005 and happening on home soil. The build-up to those matches did not suggest that the Super Eagles had any clear intention of serious assignments ahead.
The social media space was dominated by clips and interviews concerning social issues as content providers had field days at Super Eagles camps.
The camp has always been loose, hence the porosity that impaired concentration and never suggested the magnitude of assignments at hand.
This is unimaginable in a Clemens Westerhof-managed squad. Today, a loose camp for all comers is the order of the day. The results justify the happenings.
Scavenging just a point out of available six in encounters with Rwanda does not suggest that the Super Eagles have the ability to win their remaining six matches in the World Cup qualifying series.
Two of the matches will again be against their nemesis, Rwanda. The Rwandans, leading Group C where Nigeria languishes in the fifth position out of six teams, have shown that they will be ready to inflict more pain on the Super Eagles.
After a lackadaisical approach to the Monday evening encounter with Rwanda, substitute, Samuel Chukwueze added sparks when he waltzed past a sea of Rwandan legs to fire home a goal in the 59th minute.
That ended the story. The Rwandans fought back and canceled the goal within a space of three minutes, scoring in the 72nd and 75th minutes.
Huge doubts now return on the possibility of turning fortunes around in the World Cup qualifiers.
Tunisia’s unbeaten home record in the qualifiers came to an abrupt halt as Gambia pulled off a surprise 1-0 victory at the Stade Olympique Hammadi-Agrebi.
Abdoulie Ceesay’s 17th-minute header proved decisive, as Tunisia struggled to convert their chances despite dominating possession and creating several goal-scoring opportunities.
The Eagles of Carthage were left frustrated as Sayfallah Ltaief hit the post in the 13th minute, and substitute Nabil Makni came close late in the second half but was denied by Gambia’s resilient defense.
Gambia’s solid defensive shape and disciplined performance helped them finish third in the group with eight points.
Group A Final Standings:
- Comoros – 12 points (3 wins, 3 draws, 0 losses)
- Tunisia – 10 points (3 wins, 1 draw, 2 losses)
- Gambia – 8 points (2 wins, 2 draws, 2 losses)
- Madagascar – 2 points (0 wins, 2 draws, 4 losses)
Malawi delivered a stunning performance in their final Group L match of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 qualifiers, defeating Burkina Faso 3-0 at the Bingu National Stadium on Monday.
Despite the result, the group standings remain unchanged as Senegal and Burkina Faso advance to Morocco.
Coming into the match, the Flames had endured a torrid run, failing to win any of their last 10 TotalEnergies CAF AFCON qualifiers.
However, they stunned their opponents with a commanding display. Gabadinho Mhango broke the deadlock in the 28th minute with a sensational long-range strike, giving Malawi a 1-0 lead at halftime.
The second half saw Richard Mbulu double the Flames’ advantage in the 57th minute with a perfectly placed header.
Lloyd Aaron sealed the emphatic victory in the 62nd minute, converting from close range after a slick team move.
The win marked a morale-boosting end to their otherwise disappointing campaign, though they still finish bottom of the group due to an inferior goal difference compared to Burundi.
The Stallions, who had already secured qualification, struggled to find their rhythm. Despite several attempts, including a late header by Issoufou Dayo, the Stallions could not capitalize on their chances.
Key players like Steeve Yago and Cédric Badolo were unable to inspire the team, which looked uncharacteristically disjointed.
The loss means Burkina Faso finish the group stage with 10 points, firmly in second place behind Senegal.
Their impressive early campaign ensured they clinched qualification prior to this fixture, but this defeat exposed gaps they’ll need to address before the tournament in Morocco.
Group leaders Senegal, unbeaten in the qualifiers, will look to maintain their perfect record when they face Burundi in the final group game on Tuesday.
With 13 points already, the Lions of Teranga have been dominant, scoring eight goals and conceding just one.
Final Group L Standings:
- Senegal – 13 points (4 wins, 1 draw, 0 losses)
- Burkina Faso – 10 points (3 wins, 1 draw, 2 losses)
- Burundi – 4 points (1 win, 1 draw, 3 losses)
- Malawi – 4 points (1 win, 1 draw, 4 losses)
Riyad Mahrez was back among the goals for Algeria on Sunday as they completed their Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign with a 5-1 home thrashing of Liberia on Sunday.
Mahrez had not scored for his country in his previous seven outings including their calamitous early exit from the last Cup of Nations finals in the Ivory Coast at the start of the year.
But he contributed the second goal as Algeria fought back after conceding early to register an easy win and finish their Group E campaign with five wins and a draw for a runaway 16-point haul at the top of the standings.
They ended eight points ahead of Equatorial Guinea, who lost 3-0 to Togo at the same time but still qualify in second place.
The qualifiers for the 2025 finals, which Morocco is hosting from Dec. 21, 2025 to Jan. 18, 2026, will be completed on Monday and Tuesday.
There are five places up for grabs in the 24-team field with 19 countries already qualified for the tournament.
-Reuters
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