The first of Nigeria’s head-to-head friendlies came on Friday, with the Cameroons dominating the night, with the second ending in a head-scratching draw the following Tuesday. Overall, the two legs were nothing to write home about, and bookkeepers bet9ja may have had a hard time wrapping their heads around this as well.
Andre Anguissa’s strike in the 39th minute was all the Indomitable Lions needed to win their fifth and first since 2000 against Nigeria.
The Fulham midfielder took advantage of a loose ball from William Troost-Ekong before firing a shot from outside the box that knocked goalkeeper Maduka Okoye.
It was disappointing for the Super Eagles, as they were the better team on Friday night. However, in terms of play balance, the three-time African champions deserved at least a draw.
The Super Eagles showed a lack of decency in front of goal, while Cameroon goalkeeper Omossola repeatedly rejected any chances that made it on target. The three-time African champions had a chance at revenge when the two sides met again on Tuesday, but the result was a draw that was even more disappointing because it lacked any reassurance.
In all fairness, Rohr did not have the ideal preparation for the two games after six key players withdrew from the squad. The German strategist was denied the service of leaders such as Leon Balogun, Joe Aribo, Victor Osimhen and Zaidu Sanusi. However, that allowed Rohr to try new players, but the former Bordeaux coach stuck with the old guard and did not change until the 66th minute in the first game.
It was another strange decision by Rohr. The 67-year-old has confirmed two matches that will allow him to see new faces, which is why his decision not to change anytime soon is surprising.
It is difficult even to understand because the team is followed closely, and the players up front have missed the opportunity. For example, the former Burkina Faso coach should have put Terem Moffi earlier and Anayo Iwuala. Rohr has been criticized for his questionable decisions in recent Super Eagles games, and this newest outing shows the 67-year-old is unlikely to change for anyone.
Onuachu was Nigeria’s player of the year in the just-ended European club football season. The 27-year-old has scored 33 goals to help Genk become the top scorer in the Belgian league. However, despite his track record at club level, he has never been Rohr’s favourite.
Although he scored in wins over Benin and Lesotho in March, he was only substituted in both games. With Osimhen absent, Onuachu has a chance to convince Rohr to give him more playing time. He impresses but doesn’t do enough. Nigeria’s first real chance of the game went to him, but his header was beaten by Omossola in a Cameroon goal. His retention isn’t bad either. However, he failed to do the most important thing, which is to score. Onuachu had found promising positions, but he was lacklustre in both the opening and second half before being substituted for Moffi.
And with the fully equipped Super Eagles in the attacking department, Onuachu may have missed the opportunity to start more games.
Ahmed Musa is the current captain of the team, while Ekong is the vice-captain. Musa is no longer a starter on the team, which means Ekong will lead the team during games. Friday’s clash was no different, but there’s another player who could challenge Ekong for the captaincy when Musa retires, and that’s Wilfred Ndidi. The Leicester City star was one of the few players to impress on Friday night, but his leadership qualities stood out above his overall play.
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