i only saw a fantastic defence line, a great midfield, a confused goal keeper and ojuelegba strikers.
keshi's face wasnt even helping matters.
imagine enyeama thanking forlan for a shot well struck, with teeth as wide as a dstv dish.
great runs from musa but what happend to his eyes?
he neither could see his team mates nor the goal post.
musa needs serious eye test. Mikel's defence splitting passes remains exquisite.

Super eagles is like the film, "300". The first army of 300 warriors fought a good war and lost. But they came back later with stronger better warriors. THIS IS NO WHERE NEAR THE END. WE WILL BE BACK

GO SUPER EAGLES
GO NIGERIA!

CFCfan:

That is a reversal of the problems the SE used to have. In the past, the team had quality strikers but no decent midfielders. Now, our midfield is probably the best in Africa.

i agree..i used to envy ivory coast's midfield until we beat them fair and square in AFCON. My mouth is watering for emenike and moses to come back! i really can't wait!

imagine emenike, moses, oduamadi, echejile, mikel, onazi, mba, emeruo, oboabonna. We need a young keeper to compete with enyeama. Once enyeama sees competition he will sit up and perform better.

Nigerians, na wa o, this was the same attitude we showed during AFCON, insulting the super eagles and Keshi, writing them off, we didn't even give them a chance to perform, inculding me, but lo and behold with the mercy of God we won the AFCON, most of you insulting them here again where jubilating, so proud to call Nigeria your country, hmm, for me personally if they win or they do not win Spain in their next match, it doesn't reduce the super eagles at all, to you all lets try to believe in the super eagles not only when they finally qualify for finals,but now when it seems like they won't even be able to make it out of the first group stage. Nigerians, na wa o, this was the same attitude we showed during AFCON, insulting the super eagles and Keshi, writing them off, we didn't even give them a chance to perform, inculding me, but lo and behold with the mercy of God we won the AFCON, most of you insulting them here again where jubilating, so proud to call Nigeria your country, hmm, for me personally if they win or they do not win Spain in their next match, it doesn't reduce the super eagles at all, to you all lets try to believe in the super eagles not only when they finally qualify for finals,but now when it seems like they won't even be able to make it out of the first group stage.

bboiabb:

i agree..i used to envy ivory coast's midfield until we beat them fair and square in AFCON. My mouth is watering for emenike and moses to come back! i really can't wait!

imagine emenike, moses, oduamadi, echejile, mikel, onazi, mba, emeruo, oboabonna. We need a young keeper to compete with enyeama. Once enyeama sees competition he will sit up and perform better.

Ejide is a pretty good keeper. I think he may play on Sunday.

This tournament is a good evaluation for naija going forward....this will give keshi the opportunity to bring in more players in the positions we lack.....if i were keshi..i would invite osaze, ameobi, anichebe....bring all your weapons...all these ujah, akpala and babatunde are not good....bring in experience...

SuyaEater: This tournament is a good evaluation for naija going forward....this will give keshi the opportunity to bring in more players in the positions we lack.....if i were keshi..i would invite osaze, ameobi, anichebe....bring all your weapons...all these ujah, akpala and babatunde are not good....bring in experience...

Exactly! Those guys have been given enough time to show their worth, I don't want to see them anywhere near the squad in the September game against Malawi.

SALVADOR, Brazil -- Here are three quick thoughts from Uruguay's 2-1 Confederations Cup victory over Nigeria at the Arena Fonte Nova in which the South Americans snapped their opponent's team-record 18-game unbeaten streak, all but assuring themselves a place in the semifinals.

1. Uruguay go all-in and the gamble pays off
In this matchup of brittle defenses, the three points would always be won by the team that could best make its front line click. Nigeria came into the match having maintained only one clean sheet in their past five games and Uruguay's back line favors bulk over speed.

Aware that Nigeria's front three would counterattack with pace and frenzy, Uruguayan coach Oscar Tabarez sought to nullify their advantage by going all-in on world-class strikers. Veteran forward Diego Forlan was awarded his 100th cap as he stepped in to play alongside Luis Suarez and the curiously impotent Edinson Cavani.

The Uruguayans hoped to smother their opponents by retaining possession, exploiting space behind the Nigerian full backs and working Cavani into the game. Though the Napoli forward continued his bleak form at the national level, he did manage to play a key role in the opening goal, stepping over Forlan's intelligent cross, leaving Diego Lugano to scuff the ball awkwardly over the line from close distance.

Yet the trio often appeared out of sync, with Suarez not shy to show his frustration. With Uruguay's midfield imbalanced and overrun, the team lacked a reference point to distribute the ball to the feet of the forward line. Ultimately it was left to the trio to take matters into its own hands. In the 51st minute, Suarez broke through the midfield to feed Cavani. He laid the ball off for a steaming Forlan, who belted home the winner.

2. Nigeria miss Moses
Before kickoff, Nigeria huddled in prayer in the center of the field, facing up to their opponents only when they were ready -- a symbol that they were determined to assert their style of play on the game.

Though they started slowly, when they began to counterpunch, John Obi Mikel was at the center of every threat they conjured. The Chelsea player displayed an aggression in the green of Nigeria he has so rarely shown in the Premier League. He dragged the Super Eagles back into the game, demanding and dispensing the ball to propel his team forward. His reward came in the 37th minute, when he found space in the box, skipped around a stranded Lugano and slapped the ball home.

Yet Nigeria's front line could not match his example. With Nnamdi Oduamadi lost to a first-half injury, Brown Ideye was full of misplaced good intention. Nigeria attacked with a relentless energy, and, even though they outshot their opponents, they lacked the ability to finish, mustering 13 shots, yet only five on target. How much did the Super Eagles miss Mikel's Chelsea teammate Victor Moses, who is out with injury? With his intelligent pace in the side, the score could have been very different.

And the Most Relieved Team in Brazil tonight is …
Tahiti. Had the game remained a tie, goal difference would have decided whether Nigeria or Uruguay advance. As it is, barring a miracle, Uruguay will advance to face the winner of Saturday's clash between Brazil and Italy.

I hate to admit this but, It's over for super eagles.

The SE midfield is very promising.
We bossed the uruguayan midfield even with their 3-4-3 formation.
That's impressive.
We just need Emenike and victor moses and we have a team.

Sike: I hate to admit this but, It's over for super eagles.

Its not about winning this tournament.....this is a good experience for this young team.....the winner of the confederations cup have never won the world cup...

SuyaEater: Its not about winning this tournament.....this is a good experience for this young team.....the winner of the confederations cup have never won the world cup...

exactly, even Uruguay is in the danger of not qualifying for the world cup

I heard Keshi say to one of the officials after Efe Ambrose's wasted cross in the 92nd minute.............Time don fininsh

SuyaEater:

Its not about winning this tournament.....this is a good experience for this young team.....the winner of the confederations cup have never won the world cup...

So true. France won the Confed cup in 2001, but failed to score a SINGLE goal in the 2002 World cup. Brazil won the Confed cup in 2009, but were eliminated in the quarter-finals of the 2010 world cup.

;Dthose guy tried their best just only...the best team won...spain is their target

Can someone pls convince Ideye to retire voluntarily frm the SE....he is simply not good enuf.....too wasteful for a striiker. Only 3 goals in 16 matches for the SE. SMH

some haters that can not even strike a woman are here saying rubbish about super eagles.

but wait O, even if we qualify, it is certain that we will have to face Brazil in the semi final which may led to .... Don t let me say it. Eagles should just learn their lesson from this three matched and come back home to prepare for the main thing by playing high quality friendly matches

seunlayi: but wait O, even if we qualify, it is certain that we will have to face Brazil in the semi final which may led to .... Don t let me say it. Eagles should just learn their lesson from this three matched and come back home to prepare for the main thing by playing high quality friendly matches

There is nothing special about the Brazilian team, with the exception of Neymar. The Super Eagles would have matched them in all areas.

Nigeria can qualify with this kind of configuration.

Nig 1 Spain 0 (Any kind of win against spain) and Uruguay 4 Tahiti 0

That is a plausible scenario. although the chances of that happening is like 20%.

Our chances of qualifying for the semis is like 20%. It is not over until it is over.

When will Musa stop running like a headless chicken?

solomon111: The SE midfield is very promising.
We bossed the uruguayan midfield even with their 3-4-3 formation.
That's impressive.
We just need Emenike and victor moses and we have a team.

How I jus wish these two guys were there, they will make obvious impacts. Anyway, God dey.

matthew1985: haha have you seen the Japan 3: 4 Italy?

So who's Japan aand who's Italy?

And how does 3-4 solve anything for Nigeria?

Of course, you won't tell me tahiti stand any chance against Uruguay.

dozzybaba: When will Musa stop running like a headless chicken?

I don tire for the guy. At the last U-20 world cup, he played infinitely better. I guess, he may have to be deployed as a striker when Moses recovers from injury.

I really dont think we should be scared of spain. We are in confed as champions therefore we are capable of defeating any team if we approach the game with a positive mentality and stop thinking we are under-dogs

emiye: Nigeria can qualify with this kind of configuration.

Nig 1 Spain 0 (Any kind of win against spain) and Uruguay 4 Tahiti 0

That is a plausible scenario. although the chances of that happening is like 20%.

Our chances of qualifying for the semis is like 20%. It is not over until it is over.

And you think Uruguay will stop at 4 against Tahiti?

Nigeria beating Spain 1-0. Well, if Nigeria could concede against super minnows like Tahiti, Malawi, Namibia and Kenya, I don't see them maintaining clean sheet against Spain. Maybe 2-1 is a possible victory.

Jarus:


And you think Uruguay will stop at 4 against Tahiti?

Nigeria beating Spain 1-0. Well, if Nigeria could concede against supper minnows like Tahiti, Malawi, Namibia and Kenya, I don't see them maintaining clean sheet against Spain. Maybe 2-1 is a possible victory.

On the bolded countries, it's still a bit of a surprise that Nigeria has to wait til the last day of the 2nd round qualifying series to book a place in the play-off round. The Super Eagles should have been out of sight, at least with 2 games to spare.

seunlayi: but wait O, even if we qualify, it is certain that we will have to face Brazil in the semi final which may led to .... Don t let me say it. Eagles should just learn their lesson from this three matched and come back home to prepare for the main thing by playing high quality friendly matches

Qualifying for semis is enough achievement.


Some of us never conceived winning the tournament, but a decent showing. Semi final would have been a decent showing.

94 pages and counting.... this must the longest thread on super eagles till date... in any case they played well but will need a win against spain to progress.
i wish them all the best in their next game.

CFCfan:

On the bolded countries, it's still a bit of a surprise that Nigeria has to wait til the last day of the 2nd round qualifying series to book a place in the play-off round. The Super Eagles should have been out of sight, at least with 2 games to spare.

Imagine. Nigeria had theeasiest draw.

Imagine, Zambia, Ghana are in same group. Togo and Cameroun too.

We have Namibia, Malawi and Kenya, yet had to wait till last day.

dozzybaba: Can someone pls convince Ideye to retire voluntarily frm the SE....he is simply not good enuf.....too wasteful for a striiker. Only 3 goals in 16 matches for the SE. SMH

the last time benzema scored for france was in feb last year yet they still play him all the time.it is not always about someone scoring it is all about the team winning