FINISHING THE THIRD IN THE BOUTS OF RED: A HERCULEAN TASK!
By: Nkem ALU .
Who could have predicted that all the three teams we would play in the current tourney would be red-geared? Red, they say, is an insignia of danger. It can also signify blood, life, energy or royalty, as the instance may be.
It takes guts to stand before red and shove ahead, even before Santa clause. Apologies to the kids!Back to Garoua where Egypt, Sudan and Guinea Bissau all came looking red. Now, make no mistakes about it: green, in it’s multifold shades won red, full and forlon!Today, while Austin Eguavoen decided to thrust forward a different shoulder in starting off with Sadiq, Ebuehi, Ejike, Nwakali, Uzoho et al the guys from Guinea Bissau came in very ravaging complexions, aimed at devouring the Eagles. The likes of free-flying Fali Cande were well calibrated with Mendy, Balde and Baloe; all discharging smoke from their nostrils.
But it takes a bunch to dismantle a technically sound Super Eagles in the handling of an ex no-nonsense defence minister. Get it right!It was like the Eagles were thrown into a basket of rattle snakes at first, with the reds dashing about like Trojan warriors on horsebacks. No small thanks to the unflinching mid-field work offered by Wilfred Ndidi and closely assisted by Nwakali and a-bit-thrown off Iwobi. Of the lot on duty today Chidera Ejuke yet again proved a man for the future and William Troost-Ekong, as dependable as ever.The man Sadiq Umar, to me is not yet a super Eagles material. With a litany of wasted chances and collapses, I wonder if looking as imposing as Rashidi Yekini is all it takes to be a frontline striker.
Permit my offensive, the guy got on my nerves today, giving the wild dogs a chance to mesmerize about in hope. Thanks to Eguavoen’s constant cautions. Even when Iheanacho made that super pass and Sadiq scored, Eguavoen’s mind was already made up to change him. And believe me, Sadiq had annoyed 200 million Nigerians already. So off went the dangling striker.Saving the day and bringing in the required spark yet again was on-coming Moses Simon. What with his dazzling wing play and dribbles with which four defending wild dogs were taught the lessons of their lives today? Then the strike which was finished by Troost-Ekong; trust the giant defender who reminds me of Vincent Kompany at the defence line of Man City. Moses Simon is phenomenal, no jokes about that. Given the chance I would ask Eguavoen why Henry Onyekuru didn’t start the match. I also would like to know why Alex Iwobi should be in the mid field where Ndidi and Nwakali were already combining well. Iwobi should have gone front to make up for the absence of Awoniyi and Simon in the first half. Well, let’s forgive that and face the other coach who returned to the second half in a jacket over the yellow vest he wore during the first half; was that a psychosomatic index to threaten us? Your guess
Congratulations to the super Eagles for shaking off the barks and bites of the wild dogs, to conquer yet again. And to Eguavoen who is making a statement in Cameroon both in English and French, I salute you, Sir!Don’t forget that before today Eguavoen was the only Nigerian coach to have won all three matches at the group phase of the AFCON before he repeated it today. Don’t get it twisted: in 2006 at the Al-masry stadium in Port Said it was; Nig 1-0 Ghana ; Nig 2-0 Zimbabwe ; Nig 2-1 Senegal. Today it became a brace for the man Austin Eguavoen in 2022 for the 2021 AFCON.What do I say at this juncture? Watch out for teams like Barcelona and Real Madrid, Chelsea and Man City, after this tournament, they will start chasing Moses Simon, for he sure plays their style.
Nkem ALU
