A cross-section of fans on Monday said they were unimpressed by the Super Eagles’ 1-0 win over the Wild Dogs of Guinea-Bissau.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Super Eagles claimed their pound of flesh against the Wild Dogs of Guinea-Bissau right in front of their own fans with a slim 1-0 win.
The Djurtus of Guinea Bissau put up a shocking display when they unexpectedly beat the Super Eagles 1-0 at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja on March 24.
The Super Eagles, however, returned to winning ways in the 2023 African Nations Cup qualifiers with a decisive 29th-minute penalty by Moses Simon for the much-needed three points.
In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), some of the fans said they were yet to be convinced by the performance of the Jose Pesseiro-tutored team, which they described as below average.
A sports journalist, Olusegun Oluesan, contended that the Super Eagles had dropped form and were far away from what the team used to be in the past.
“The Guinean side is not as good as Nigeria made them look during the first leg; the team lacked motivation and fighting spirit, had no energy, and showed no urgency in attack, and Uzoho looked shaky at some point.”
“The final pass accuracy, same as in the first leg, is still lacking.”
“The blundering with crosses by the likes of Simon and Chukwueze and poor shots by the likes of Alex Iwobi were discouraging.
“Imagine not scoring in open play over the two legs with the talented players we have.”
“It was really a poor game; the only outstanding player once again was Bright Osayi Samuel,” he said.
A fan, Dotun Oladosu, told NAN that the Super Eagles team did not look like a team that could perform if they eventually qualified for the AFCON.
“With no disrespect intended, the Super Eagles cannot do anything in the AFCON if they eventually qualify.
“The Super Eagles lack direction and are not playing like a team.
“This team cannot in any way compare with previous Super Eagles teams we have had in the past; imagine that we struggled to beat Guinea Bissau!
“What will happen if we eventually meet countries like Ghana, Morocco, Algeria, Egypt, and Senegal when we qualify for the AFCON?”
“I am sure our ranking would have dropped drastically after the shambolic display in the two matches played against Guinea-Bissau,” he said.
For Sunday Agunbiade, a sports journalist with Fresh FM, the performance of the Super Eagles was a disappointment to the nation.
“Nigerians are disappointed with the performance of the Eagles; maybe not all, but for me, I am disappointed.
“For playing such a game against Guinea Bissau that is just like a local government in Lagos State, maybe Alimosho Local Government, and lacked bite is a cause for concern.”
“With the array of stars in the Super Eagles fold like Victor Osimhen, Samuel Chukwwueze, Alex Iwobi, Joe Aribo, and the likes, we expect a whitewash of the Guineans.”
“For Osimhen, who has been painting Europe with goals yet cannot score a single goal over the two-legged qualifiers against the minnows Guineans, shows that the team lacks quality,” he said.
He was emphatic that the team did not have cohesion, which he attributed to the ineptitude of the coaching staff.
(NAN)Â
