NAN-S-7
Eagles
Abuja, Oct. 10, 2016 (NAN) Football enthusiasts on Monday commended the Super Eagles’ performance in their first match of the 2018 World Cup Qualifying Final Round, saying however that there was still room for improvement.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that goals by Alex Iwobi and Kelechi Iheanacho handed the Eagles a winning start in the match to record a 2-1 victory against Zambia.
A cross-section of stakeholders who spoke to NAN in Abuja said the team performed above average in the match played in Ndola on Sunday.
They however noted that there was still a lot of work to be done if the Eagles hoped to qualify.
Patrick Pascal, the Super Eagles’ Team Coordinator, said it was a great game, adding that the team approached the game with the right mentality.
“For us, we are very happy because we have begun our campaign on a winning note. The boys must be given all the credit they deserve.
“People must understand that away games are very difficult and so to have picked the maximum three points from this game tells you a lot about the mentality and discipline of the team.
“The Zambians tried all they could psychologically to ensure that we lost the game.
“They went ahead and fixed the game for 2.30 p.m. when the sun was at its peak, knowing that most of our players ply their trade in Europe. But the boys were up to the task,’’ he said.
Pascal also heaped praise on the new Eagles coach, saying he must be commended for his courage in fielding both Iheanacho and Iwobi, who are two youngsters.
“Some coaches will never take such a risk. They would have rather preferred to use the more experienced players.
“The only thing we need from the coach is results and Gernot Rohr has so far lived up to our expectations, recording two consecutive victories against Tanzania and Zambia,’’ he said.
Bitrus Bewarang, the Technical Director of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), also commended the team for putting up a good performance against the Zambians.
Bewarang, however, insisted that Rohr still had a lot to do tactically in rebuilding the Super Eagles, in spite of the team’s good start.
He advised the Eagles’ handler to work harder in areas of building mentality, encouraging cohesion and avoiding costly errors.
“I congratulate Nigerians for the victory. It’s been such a long since we had such a decent result playing away from home.
“But that doesn’t mean we don’t have some mistakes to correct. I’m very sure that the coach will go back to the drawing board and work to improve on our deficiencies.
“However, our overall performance is commendable and I think if we continue with this spirit, we can qualify from our group.’’
Bewarang also thanked the Federal Government for its support to the NFF, adding that his contributions went a long way in helping the team succeed.
He called on all stakeholders to ensure all hands are on deck for the team to have a successful campaign.
Patrick Ngwaogu, the Vice-Chairman of FCT Football Association, on his part said the strong will of the entire team members to succeed was responsible for the victory.
“In spite of all the ups and downs associated with the team’s preparation before the game, they were able to surmount all the challenges and forge ahead to achieve this feat.
“I must salute the Technical Adviser and whatever it is that he did to awaken the `Giant of Africa’ spirit in the players.
“This is one of the things that have been missing in all cadres of our national teams,’’ he said.
Ngwaogu also noted that the synergy between the midfield and attack was fantastic, adding that the pair of Iwobi and Kelechi was a thorn in the flesh of the Zambians.
“I also never doubted the ability of Mikel Obi to give a world-class performance which had been missing in his games for some time now.
“Ogenyi Onazi, on his part, gave a good account of himself but needs to do more in terms of protecting the defence line than supporting the attack.
“The defenders were also very determined to do the needful and we all saw it in spite of some errors.
“Carl Ikeme was the Man of the Match for me as he displayed a high level of maturity in goal. He was very calm and relaxed. With such performances, the absence of Enyeama in the team would not be felt.
“Considering the team’s performance in the last two years, I will give them a pass mark. Nevertheless, I expect the coaches to pay a little more attention to the defence,’’ he said.
Mansur Abdullahi, coach of Warri Wolves, said it was a good result in spite of the fact that the technical crew was in the process of building a new team.
“There is the need to give the team some time to grow as we could see that the defence was a little bit shaky and that was why goalkeeper Ikeme had a lot of work to do between the sticks.
“There were also a lot of players who played out of position. But I am sure the coach is still experimenting with the players at his disposal.
“Ndidi Wilfred who played from the right-back usually plays from the left-back. Also, Shehu Abdullahi who played as a holding midfielder usually plays in the right-back position.
“I am sure he is trying to adjust the team to suit his ideas and the type of tactics and approach he wants as far as the game is concerned.
“He really has to work very hard because he has a great squad to work with,’’ he said. (NAN)
(Edited by Edwin Nwachukwu and Olawale Alabi)