INVISIBLE PERFORMANCES ALL ROUND AS FLYING EAGLES SHREDDED BY USA

Valentine Ozornwafor (L) and Maxwell Effiom (R) leave the pitch heads bowed after losing to USA/FIFA

A horrifying first half performance and a criminal brain freeze at the start of the second from the Flying Eagles saw them succumb to a 2-0 defeat at the hands of the United States on Monday.

Paul Aigbogun’s side looked shorn of skill or talent as they chased shadows for most of the first period. Running around aimlessly as the US ran jolly rings around them.

Sebastian Soto’s brace was just reward for the American endeavour on a day when the country was celebrating their fallen heroes.

For Nigeria, it was the ratings pits on a day they will need to forget very quickly

OLAWALE OREMADE 5

Beaten with an excellent header for the first goal, and went down too early for the second. Made a great save from Time Weah in the first half

ZULKIFILU RABIU 4

Suffered time and again on isolation plays against Tim Weah. Struggled to keep up with the PSG starlet and shares the blame for the ball-watching that led to the first goal.

Saw one skewed shot saved by the goalkeeper in the first half. Came close to scoring with an overhead kick late on.

IKOUWEM UTIN 3

Hero to zero. Pinned to his half for most of the game by the marauding stretched play of Konrad De la Fuente, and didn’t get upfront for the first half hour. Caught for pace when he did get forward

ALIU SALAWUDEEN 6

Dragged out of position time and again by the passing and movement of the Americans but did come up with a few good blocks, including winning some great defensive headers, including one that almost went in as an own goal. Ranged forward late in the game and almost created an opportunity 

VALENTINE OZORNWAFOR 5

Took a hit early on, but doubtful that was a contributor to the overall bad performance. Cut out a few crosses, but clearances were always hurried

KINGSLEY MICHAEL 5

Looked lost in midfield early on as the USA took complete control, passing the ball around him with ease. Grew into the game late in the half, and rocked the past with a vicious effort late just before half time. Much more of a presence in the second half. Won the penalty kick that was called off for offside 

JAMIL MUHAMMAD 4

One of a number of players involved in failing to mark and leading to that first headed goal. A step behind the US passing, and failed to read the play adequately each time

TOM DELE-BASHIRU 2

An ineffectual performance that saw him hooked early. Created little and lost the ball more times than even he would care to remember. A sign of his torrid day was being taken off after half an hour in what could only be described as a mercy substitution for the Manchester City man.

MAXWELL EFFIOM 6

Put in a good running shift, dropping back to cover for and help Rabiu with the Weah threat. Read the play and made interceptions, but was also guilty of the offence of always trying to do too much.

OKECHUKWU OFFIA 5

Dropped back to help with defending the wide threat, but always guilty of trying to do too much rather than look for the simple outlet ball. Little attacking threat

AKOR ADAMS 4

Started in place of Muhamed Tijani. But his link up play was sadly lacking. Always double-teamed by the US centerbacks and had little support. On the occasions when he had breakaway opportunities, the inability to make a quick pass cost his team valuable threats.

Okechukwu Offia pulled an Invisible Man impression

SUBS

ANIEKEME OKON 6

Almost made an instant impact after coming in for Dele-Bashiru with a ferocious volley that the US goalkeeper beat away. Stablized the midfield and helped the Flying eagles establish a foothold in the game. Tempted to give him a 7. Really tempted, but no. 

MUHAMED TIJANI 4

Slightly better performance than his first game. Held up the play, linked up better and created openings for his runners

SUCCESS MAKANJUOLA 4

Like he did in the first game, came on and immediately got involved. Won a tackle high up and put in a good cross

OSIMHEN SHOOTING STAR AS DREAM TEAM ROUT LIBYA

Hattrick hero Victor Osimhen claims one of the match balls after putting Libya to the sword

A hattrick and an assist saw Victor Osimhen put Libya to the sword on a sweltering afternoon in Asaba as Nigeria’s under 23 Eagles overcame a two-goal first leg deficit to win 4-0 on the day and 4-2 on aggregate.

The Charleroi forward, playing like a man possessed, bustled around the pitch with enough energy to power a battery as the Nigerians struggled to break down their bunkered down opposition.

But break them down they did, as the 20-year-Old, seconded from the senior squad, plundered a hattrick, but still had enough energy left to follow Denis Bonaventure’s shot in the last minute to set up Orji Okonkwo with a fine backheel for the fourth.

The Eagles will now face the winners of the Kenya/Sudan fixture in the final round of qualifying in June.

Osimhen gush-fest done, what else did we learn from the game?

OSIMHEN IS BACK

Monstrous as Nigeria won the under 17 World Cup in 2015, Osimhen found the going hard at Wolfsburg but has rediscovered himself with a loan move to Belgium’s Charleroi.

Although he was called up by Super Eagles Gernot Rohr during the German’s early months, he has failed to find a way to break into the side, as Rohr has looked to multiple options in that position

But his value was never in doubt, according to coach Imama Amapakabo

“As soon as we suffered that first leg loss, I spoke to Rohr and I told him I had no doubt in my mind that Victor was one of the players we would need.”

Monday’s performance and result was ample proof that that confidence was not in any way misplaced.

This is the Victor Osimhen we know. This is the Victor Osimhen we love. This is the Victor Osimhen we want to want to bank on for the future.

NWAKALI STAKES HIS CLAIM

He may not be seeing much game time at the Porto B side, but Kelechi Nwakali’s powers do not appear to have waned one bit.

Playing as a double pivot with captain Azubuike Okechukwu, Nwakali was the fulcrum around which the Nigerian play revolved. He did not disappoint. The midfielder showed the full range of his phenomenal ability as he both created and destroyed in equal measure. Were it not for Osimhen’s hattrick heroics, he would have been an easy and justified pick for the man of the match award.

How soon can we get him playing regularly at clubside so he can take over Super Eagles midfield duties?

IMAMA SHOWS HIS SMARTS AGAIN

When he guided Rangers to the Nigeria title after three decades of drought, only a few would have doubted his abilities as a coach.

Imama’s Rangers Player delightful football as they edged closer and closer to the prize, and nervous excitement built up. But the coach himself maintained a cautious outlook, one which kept his wards grounded.

This time, it was the opposite. Amapakabo fired up his words with a stirring message at half time, with the Eagles having missed a plethora of good opportunities, including rattling the woodwork three times

“The way he talked to us was very inspiring,” hattrick hero Osimhen said. “He told us to believe in ourselves and keep playing our game and not to worry about anything. That gave us confidence and I want to thank him because without him, we would not be here.”

JUST NOT AWONIYI’S DAY

He has been on fire this season at club level, but against Libya, it was not Taiwo Awoniyi’s day. The ball just refused to break for him in the nearly 80 minutes he spent on the pitch. 

Try as he could, Awoniyi could not get the ball to stick to his feet and plays kept breaking up when it got to him.

It was a bit of a surprise when Imama decided to pull Orji Okonkwo in his first substitution of the game, rather than the Mouscron forward.

But it was to be only a matter of time before the mercy substitution took place, and there is no doubt even Awoniyi himself would have been happy to be rescued from his misery.

That is the bad news. The good news is that the forward remains a quality player, and while Monday may not have been his day, other days will come.

BONAVENTURE OFFERS GLIMPSES, BUT DURU CATCHES THE EYE

It has been a wee while since fans have been calling for the inclusion of Club Brugge striker Dennis Bonaventure into the Nigeria set up. The forward’s first few touches would have left many wondering what the fuss was about. He lost the ball on almost every occasion, and a fan in the stands went as far as baying for the coaches to take him off, even though Nigeria had made all three allowed substitutions.

But when he came good, he really came good. Bonaventure latched onto a ball on the left channel, left one man for dead on his backside with a little flick, skinned another with a drop of the shoulder, returned to re-destroy the first man with another feint before unleashing a piledriver that the goalkeeper spilled. Osimhen followed up, backheeled it for David Okeke and the rest is history.

Despite his poor start, the Brugge man looks the class forward he has been hyped to be.

Just behind him at left back was a man who came in with no hype. Lobi Stars left back Ebube Duru. His display was total domination of the left side, with Libya offering next to nothing, Duru roamed free and wild, creating chances, delivering crosses and playing combinations. When the Libyans did attempt to break, he was available to stop them in their tracks. Looks a decent prospect for promotion to the senior team. 

Maigari returns to office Monday

NFF President Aminu Maigari returns to office on Monday

NFF President Aminu Maigari is to return to office on Monday to begin preparations for free and fair elections later this month.

Maigari was impeached by his executive committee last month, but that decision was overturned by FIFA, who stated that the process violated statutory provisions.

On Friday, Maigari held a joint media briefing with Sports Minister Tamuno Danagogo in Abuja, where the minister emphasized the directives in the FIFA communication, that no candidate must be disenfranchised, and free and fair elections are to be held as scheduled on August 26.

"The NFF President Aminu Maigari will return to office on Monday," Danagogo said at the media briefing. "All parties had already agreed to his return even before the letter arrived from FIFA."

Danagogo also defended his decision to act on a court order which sacked the NFF board and sparked the current round of crisis

"If there is a court order for me to vacate this office today, I will not show up here. The same goes for every other body or federation in Nigeria. We must all obey the rule of law."