A cross-section of Nigerian football enthusiasts on Monday in Abuja said the Black Stars of Ghana deserve plaudits for putting up a brilliant performance in Sunday’s WAFU Cup final match.
In separate interviews conducted by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the football enthusiasts said the Eagles only lost to a better team.
NAN reports that hosts Black Stars emerged champions of the 2017 West African Football Union (WAFU) Cup of Nations after beating the Super Eagles 4-1 at the Cape Coast Stadium.
Stephen Sarfo who was voted the man-of-the-match scored a brace for the Black Stars, while Vincent Atinga and Winful Cobbinah scored a goal each for the hosts.
Kano Pillars midfielder Rabiu Ali scored Nigeria’s lone goal late in the game, but it could not change anything as the home-based Eagles settled for second place.
The football enthusiasts however said the Ghanaians deserved to win the competition.
Secretary-General of Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), Tunde Popoola, said playing against perennial arch-rivals had been and would continue to be the most difficult football game to play.
“Even when one of the two teams is not in good form, such team will raise their game not only to win but also for pride sake.
“The WAFU Cup final is a good example of a rivalry match.
“Aside the fact that Ghana played at home and played against their bitter rivals, they also wanted to take their pound of flesh from the Super Eagles who had beaten them 2-0 in the group stage of the competition.
“Overall, I will say the home-based Eagles had a good competition, but losing to Ghana by a scandalous scoreline in the final was blight on their performance,” he said.
Emmanuel Amakiri, the Proprietor of Amakson Soccer Academy in Abuja said the incentive announced by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) before the Eagles’ final game worked against the team.
“I recall that before the final game against Ghana, the NFF had come openly to say that there will be no winning bonuses for the players.
“It had said the 100,000 dollars prize money meant for the champions by WAFU will be shared amongst the players.
“This the NFF said was a way of motivating and spurring the team to give their best and win the coveted trophy.
“But it seems that this incentive has a negative effect on the team as the players rather focused on the money, while their Ghanaian counterparts played for the trophy,” he said.
Emmanuel Babayaro, an ex-international, said the final match against Ghana was a true reflection of the Nigerian league.
“What do you expect from a team that did not prepare for a tournament only to assemble some players in Nigeria football league without camping to play in a competition like the WAFU Cup.
“Indeed, the match was a true representation of our league. The result which ended 4-1 in favour of Ghana was a disgrace for a team that had not conceded a goal in four matches.
“It dented goalkeeper Ikechukwu Ezenwa’s run of clean sheets in the competition.
“The home-based Eagles started the match with determination and looked like a team that was ready to go on and take the day.
“But immediately Aniyikaiye Adeleye, our reliable and solid rock central defender was substituted due to injury, the whole team went to sleep and was also in disarray.
“The team never played together. It was like a typical Nigerian league team without focus and could hardly successfully make five touches without interception from the opponents,” he said.
On his part, Godwin Bamigboye, the Chairman of Nigeria Football Coaches Association, FCT Chapter, said: “I will not like to criticise the team more because, according to their coach, Salisu Yusuf, they had learnt some lessons.
“Yusuf also promised that the team would make Nigerians proud once again at the CHAN competition next year.
“However, I must confess that we lost to a good team and they (Ghana) deserved to win because they took their chances and it was a good lesson for us.
“For me, the level of the competition was high and also a good preparation for us ahead of the African Nations Championship (CHAN).
“I am not happy that we lost, but all the same, I am impressed by the overall performance of the players in this competition.
“To be fair to the team, they went for an international tournament without camping, played six matches, five of which they did not concede a goal until the final match.
“It will be hard on such team to be judged based on one match.
“So, I hope the boys can now put this loss behind them and focus on more important upcoming games like the CHAN and the World Cup qualifying matches against Zambia and Algeria,” he said.