EXCITING NEWS: TNG WhatsApp Channel is LIVE…
Subscribe for FREE to get LIVE NEWS UPDATE. Click here to subscribe!
It’s no longer news that the Super Eagles of Nigeria lost by 2-1 to the bafana bafana of South Africa at the Alhassan Quattara stadium Ebimpe, Abidjan.
Stand -in Captain, Williams Troost Ekong scored the opener in the 42nd minute but the Super Eagles conceded two second half goals from Frank Kessie, Sebestian Haller to lose the final.
Highlights of the Game
The Elephants of Cote D’Ivoire already studied the pattern and formation of the Super Eagles and worked on its weaknesses.
They dominated the Super Eagles from start to finish winning all the stats available in the match.
Coach Peseiro’s Wrong tactics
Super Eagles head coach, Jose Peseiro got his tactics wrong by sticking to his 3-4-3 formation even when it was found out by the South Africans in the semi-final of the tournament.
In the Semi-final clash against South Africa, the cracks in that setup began to show. And against the hosts, the Portuguese needed to switch it up again, possibly return to a back four.
Many players seemed fatigued especially Ola Aina and Zaidu Sanusi and it slowed down the tempo of the game.
Zaidu Sanusi returned to the starting XI, but remained unreliable. Ola Aina chose to have his worst game in the final.
Alex Iwobi’s defensive abilities was again called to question when he lost many possesion to the opponents therefore contributing to Super Eagles conceding first goal.
Samuel Chukwueze was virtually non-existent in the game as he was out marked by the Elephants of Cote D’Ivoire.
Calvin Bassey also displayed high level of indiscipline in the game as he was dispossed on many occasions.
The match was marked with poor officiating as the Mauritanian referee, and assistants made too many questionable calls in the game.
All 50-50 calls were given to the hosts thereby putting them at a big advantage to keep mounting pressure on the Super Eagles of Nigeria in both halves.