goldfish80:


Onazi was better than the other midfielders, he never lost a duel in that encounter. While Etebo had a poor game, Ndidi was the worst of them all.
Ndidi barely found the next man with his passes, in the 2nd half, he was in no man's land, I'm not sure he knew the role he was playing.
I guess, he escaped criticism because he plays in the Epl. Just like people were making excuses for Kelechi and Iwobi but the Nigerian psycho fans, would rather throw Moses Simon (who actually tried to make something happen) under the bus. If Moses Simon was playing for Watford, his efforts would have been more appreciated.

goldfish80:


Onazi was better than the other midfielders, he never lost a duel in that encounter. While Etebo had a poor game, Ndidi was the worst of them all.
Ndidi barely found the next man with his passes, in the 2nd half, he was in no man's land, I'm not sure he knew the role he was playing.
I guess, he escaped criticism because he plays in the Epl. Just like people were making excuses for Kelechi and Iwobi, instead the Nigerian psycho fans would rather throw Moses Simon (who actually tried to make something happen) under the bus. If Moses Simon was playing for Watford, his efforts would have been more appreciated.

goldfish80:


Onazi was better than the other midfielders, he never lost a duel in that encounter. While Etebo had a poor game, Ndidi was the worst of them all.
Ndidi barely found the next man with his passes, in the 2nd half, he was in no man's land, I'm not sure he knew the role he was playing.
I guess, he escaped criticism because he plays in the Epl. Just like people were making excuses for Kelechi and Iwobi, instead the Nigerian psycho fans would rather throw Moses Simon (who actually tried to make something happen) under the bus. If Moses Simon was playing for Watford, his efforts would have been more appreciated.

Icon4s:


Your first paragraph is just the summary of why our attack could not break down the SA defense.

For eg in that first half Iheanacho was practically kept off on several occasions. There were through balls from the midfield in that first half but they were either intercepted by their organized CB pairing or they kept Iheanacho off.

To rescue the situation, Iwobi had to play wide to pull usually two of the defenders to him. Expecting a disorganization of the CB pairing which could have given room for Iheanacho to operate. But his lack of athletism limited him to wide positions plus the SA defenders made sure he never made progress into the their 18yards box.

Etebo in an attempt to break the defence started making solo runs - what he is known for but his finishing touches let him down as he was always putting himself in a difficult position to aim at goal. Etebo's problem now I think is the 'Jack of all trade but master of none'. I think we need to define the role he will play for the national team and confine him to it. I recommend the CM. The role he played against Algeria.

Simon Moses has not improved a bit. He is not a starter IMO. He tried to use his skill and pace to outwit the SA defenders but his crosses were either not timely or too wide. At a point he was just playing crosses not directly targeting any player and expecting a miracle to happen.

Iheanacho was not much involved in the game. The major highlight I have of him was the pass he gave to Etebo that he missed. Secondly were the countless times he was caught in off side positions. The SA coach probably after seeing Iheanacho at City has understood that the only way to stop him from playing is not to allow the balls to get to him. We saw that happen several times at City this season. Iheanacho rides on the back of good Atracking midfield and wings play. He is still our most lethal finisher.

Kayode substituting Iheanacho was when the game ended for Nigeria.

Let me analyse Rohr's thinking before the substitution: We were on a 4-3-3 formation and under sparadic attacks from SA. Depleting the midfield further by removing either Iwobi or Simon would spell more doom. In the balance of play SA was having the upper hand in the midfield at that point in time. He left the two wingers and pulled out Iheanacho with the expectations that Kayode who is more of a natural striker than Iheanacho would have been able to use his pace and skills to outwit the SA defenders on a one on one basis. Alas it turned out that Rohr over estimated Kayode's abilities. At a time in the game I asked if Kayode was still on that field.

Musa's introduction was to introduce more direct play as Iwobi was practically kept wide and we made more incursion into the SA defense as he was even able to combine well on one or two occasions with Kayode. But the player to finish those moves was not there. Had Iheanacho been kept in the game.... who knows?

Osimhen, was the final trow of the die. We were 2-0 down already and so he just had to gamble by pulling out Simon. Osimhen made some good touches and edge of the box moves but not good enough to make anything happen.

Mikel and V. Moses would have obviously made the difference. What the SA defenders did was to keep Iwobi and Simon in wide positions something Moses would have been able to break with his dribbling skills, pace and direct play.
Mikel would have been able to break down the organised SA defense with his dribbling skills, ball holding and shielding abilities plus timely release of the ball for Iheanacho.

If it is doable I would have pleased with God to take Mikel's age back to at least 25!. We are not ready to move on without him.

All these wahala was bc we met a very organized defense.

Then also I think Rohr spent more time focusing on our strength and not much on SA's weaknesses while reverse was the case for SA.

I have the belief that we still qualify. We can also beat SA away.

I wish Ikeme, Balogun, Mikel And Moses quick recovery. They are the back bone of the team. August in not far away again.

Icon4s:


Your first paragraph is just the summary of why our attack could not break down the SA defense.

For eg in that first half Iheanacho was practically kept off on several occasions. There were through balls from the midfield in that first half but they were either intercepted by their organized CB pairing or they kept Iheanacho off.

To rescue the situation, Iwobi had to play wide to pull usually two of the defenders to him. Expecting a disorganization of the CB pairing which could have given room for Iheanacho to operate. But his lack of athletism limited him to wide positions plus the SA defenders made sure he never made progress into the their 18yards box.

Etebo in an attempt to break the defence started making solo runs - what he is known for but his finishing touches let him down as he was always putting himself in a difficult position to aim at goal. Etebo's problem now I think is the 'Jack of all trade but master of none'. I think we need to define the role he will play for the national team and confine him to it. I recommend the CM. The role he played against Algeria.

Simon Moses has not improved a bit. He is not a starter IMO. He tried to use his skill and pace to outwit the SA defenders but his crosses were either not timely or too wide. At a point he was just playing crosses not directly targeting any player and expecting a miracle to happen.

Iheanacho was not much involved in the game. The major highlight I have of him was the pass he gave to Etebo that he missed. Secondly were the countless times he was caught in off side positions. The SA coach probably after seeing Iheanacho at City has understood that the only way to stop him from playing is not to allow the balls to get to him. We saw that happen several times at City this season. Iheanacho rides on the back of good Atracking midfield and wings play. He is still our most lethal finisher.

Kayode substituting Iheanacho was when the game ended for Nigeria.

Let me analyse Rohr's thinking before the substitution: We were on a 4-3-3 formation and under sparadic attacks from SA. Depleting the midfield further by removing either Iwobi or Simon would spell more doom. In the balance of play SA was having the upper hand in the midfield at that point in time. He left the two wingers and pulled out Iheanacho with the expectations that Kayode who is more of a natural striker than Iheanacho would have been able to use his pace and skills to outwit the SA defenders on a one on one basis. Alas it turned out that Rohr over estimated Kayode's abilities. At a time in the game I asked if Kayode was still on that field.

Musa's introduction was to introduce more direct play as Iwobi was practically kept wide and we made more incursion into the SA defense as he was even able to combine well on one or two occasions with Kayode. But the player to finish those moves was not there. Had Iheanacho been kept in the game.... who knows?

Osimhen, was the final trow of the die. We were 2-0 down already and so he just had to gamble by pulling out Simon. Osimhen made some good touches and edge of the box moves but not good enough to make anything happen.

Mikel and V. Moses would have obviously made the difference. What the SA defenders did was to keep Iwobi and Simon in wide positions something Moses would have been able to break with his dribbling skills, pace and direct play.
Mikel would have been able to break down the organised SA defense with his dribbling skills, ball holding and shielding abilities plus timely release of the ball for Iheanacho.

If it is doable I would have pleased with God to take Mikel's age back to at least 25!. We are not ready to move on without him.

All these wahala was bc we met a very organized defense.

Then also I think Rohr spent more time focusing on our strength and not much on SA's weaknesses while reverse was the case for SA.

I have the belief that we still qualify. We can also beat SA away.

I wish Ikeme, Balogun, Mikel And Moses quick recovery. They are the back bone of the team. August in not far away again.

sontoly:
FC Utrecht Cyriel Who Contributed 42 Goals Last Season Opt For Nigeria Ahead Of Belgium.


FC Utrecht new signing Cyriel Dessers says he is willing to pledge his international future to Nigeria ahead of Belgium, Owngoalnigeria.com can exclusively reveal.
Dessers scored 29 goals and provided 13 assist last season for NAC Breda to fire them to promotion to the top league before moving to fellow top division side FC Utrecht.
His goal feat sparked an international tug of war between Nigeria and Belgium, as he qualifies for both nations thanks to his Nigerian mother Sophie and Flemish father Herwig.
He trained with the Belgium U-21 in 2015 but didn’t make his debut as he was an un-used substitute in their game against Moldova in the qualifiers for Euro 2015.
22 year old Dessers has however confirmed his willingness to dump Belgium for Nigeria, if he is called up by the coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Gernot Rohr.
” For now my concentration is on my new club FC Utrecht but if anything comes from the coach of Nigeria it would be nice. I have to be realistic, the competition in Belgium is very large with Romelu Lukaku, Micthy Bastshuayi, Divock Origi, Christian Benteke and now Dimata”, he said.
” They are still very young, around same age as me. In Nigeria there are top strikers as well but maybe there will be a spot for me in the team than in Belgium “.
Michael James

http://owngoalnigeria.com/2017/06/15/fc-utrecht-cyriel-who-contributed-42-goals-last-season-opt-for-nigeria-ahead-of-belgium/#

GoodBuhari:

"That is why you are called the Icon of experience"

Forgiveness what do you have to say

Besides, I just wonder the number of mentions you must have had yesterday.
Cc: TheSuperNerd, Safarigirl, Kog45, ......

BascoVanVeli:



What does Onazi have to do with Alhassan Ibrahim? I just see that u are taking the easy way out. Ndidi barely completed a pass and had trouble trapping the ball. Etebo brought zero creativity into the match. Onazi was not perfect but anyone who gives him the brunt of the blame either doesn't know football or is being sentimental.

BascoVanVeli:
Nigeria: Why Bafana Loss Can Be a Luxury for Eagles

By Jide Alaka

Three days after, what is left is a dull pain in place of the thudding heart palpitation on Saturday. The memory of the 2-0 loss in Uyo is still very present with the goals flashing through our collective consciousness.

Particularly the first, by Tokelo Rantie, his third goal against Nigeria in just the 11 goals he has scored for his country. Does he just love playing Nigeria or is it the Godswill Akpabio Stadium pitch that he loves?

Gernot Rohr suffered his first loss as Super Eagles manager while the South Africans enjoyed a first-ever win over their Nigerian opponents since their first competitive matchup in 1992.

So what really happened to the very "young" Nigerian side? Is there a need to panic? We have heard the Minister called an emergency meeting of the Nigeria Football Federation [NFF] executive committee in Abuja on Monday to discuss the loss.
As much as it is worth, there is an interesting post by a former national team player, Adokiye Amiesimaka, who believes the goal posts have been moved on account of Rohr being a foreigner.

I would state the following things, which I believe, make this loss a luxury that can become a stepping stone.

Calls for Mikel's retirement will be cooled

It was unfortunate the substantive captain of the team, Mikel Obi, was unavailable but it was also fortunate for the former Chelsea midfielder as his worth definitely escalated with his absence. With no coordinating general in the middle of the park, the Eagles floundered when they were put under the pressure of giving up the first goal and were very exposed for the second.

We have no goalkeeper at the moment

This is not in any way blaming the two goals conceded last Saturday on Daniel Akpeyi - it just subsists that the Chippa United goaltender has not been one to elicit much confidence. Though it has to be said - to his credit that he is a good shot-stopper, his clout and knowledge of the game do nothing to help his defenders.

Iheanacho cannot perform alone in a 4-3-3

It was plain for all to see that Kelechi Iheanacho will not succeed as a lone striker - that is why Pep Guardiola is willing to listen to offers for him. He is not very fast and gets isolated easily upfront. Though the former U-17 World Cup winner is very good in combination play, his ability to play with his back to goal has never been his strongest point.
The core players need more playing time

Bafana Bafana especially cruelly exposed the rustiness in the games of both Alex Iwobi and Iheanacho especially. There was no rhythm to their game as their lack of game time towards the end of the season came to the fore. The best thing for Rohr and the Eagles would be for his core players to play week in, week out for their respective clubs.

So many gaps for Rohr to plug

Stuart Baxter explained his game tactics in the post-match press conference and it was very simple - let the Nigerians have the ball and in the second half, the team moved five metres forward and that was the end of the domination enjoyed by the home team. Itumeleng Khune, in goal for Bafana Bafana, was not put under any pressure despite the 10 corner kicks the Eagles won.

Why have the goal posts been moved?

Amiesimaka wrote on Facebook, "Since Nigeria lost 2-0 at home in Uyo to South Africa this evening (for the first time in a competitive encounter), I've heard too many Nigerians request that the Rohr-led technical crew should be absolved from blame, noting how the game can be unpredictable, etc.

"Let me reiterate that Nigeria never lost to South Africa, home or away, in a competitive match under an indigenous coach!
"Would the narrative not have been different had a Nigerian been in Rohr's shoes today?

"Imagine for a moment that it was our own Christian Chukwu, or, the late Amodu Shuaibu, or, the late Stephen Keshi...

"No doubt, allegations of 'technical incompetence', 'inability to read a match', etc., would have been made against him, with very loud calls for "the infallible white man" to take over."

Why is the NFF apologizing?

Ahmed Fresh Yusuf, an NFF executive board member, wrote on Twitter, "Crucial matches ahead of @NGSuperEagles, the @BafanaBafana game has opened our eyes to our flaws. We apologized for the poor result. Thanks!

"This is the moment we should all support @NGSuperEagles. Enough of the blame game; let's help the team focus ahead of the Cameron game." But really, why is the NFF apologizing for a loss? No football team no matter how good is mandated to go unbeaten in any tournament or league - defeat is all part of the game. What they should be apologizing for is the non-explanation of missing balls and other issues - not losing a game!

We heard that the NFF did not have $250 to clear the balls sent by CAF, which meant the players never trained with the official match balls until Saturday. But just like other misdemeanours in the past, we are almost sure nobody will be held responsible for that mishap.

zicky:
The captain and most experience player in a 3-man midfield and you say he should not be blamean he could not do a simple job I.e organise the midfield.

BascoVanVeli:
Nigeria: Why Bafana Loss Can Be a Luxury for Eagles

By Jide Alaka

Three days after, what is left is a dull pain in place of the thudding heart palpitation on Saturday. The memory of the 2-0 loss in Uyo is still very present with the goals flashing through our collective consciousness.

Particularly the first, by Tokelo Rantie, his third goal against Nigeria in just the 11 goals he has scored for his country. Does he just love playing Nigeria or is it the Godswill Akpabio Stadium pitch that he loves?

Gernot Rohr suffered his first loss as Super Eagles manager while the South Africans enjoyed a first-ever win over their Nigerian opponents since their first competitive matchup in 1992.

So what really happened to the very "young" Nigerian side? Is there a need to panic? We have heard the Minister called an emergency meeting of the Nigeria Football Federation [NFF] executive committee in Abuja on Monday to discuss the loss.
As much as it is worth, there is an interesting post by a former national team player, Adokiye Amiesimaka, who believes the goal posts have been moved on account of Rohr being a foreigner.

I would state the following things, which I believe, make this loss a luxury that can become a stepping stone.

Calls for Mikel's retirement will be cooled

It was unfortunate the substantive captain of the team, Mikel Obi, was unavailable but it was also fortunate for the former Chelsea midfielder as his worth definitely escalated with his absence. With no coordinating general in the middle of the park, the Eagles floundered when they were put under the pressure of giving up the first goal and were very exposed for the second.

We have no goalkeeper at the moment

This is not in any way blaming the two goals conceded last Saturday on Daniel Akpeyi - it just subsists that the Chippa United goaltender has not been one to elicit much confidence. Though it has to be said - to his credit that he is a good shot-stopper, his clout and knowledge of the game do nothing to help his defenders.

Iheanacho cannot perform alone in a 4-3-3

It was plain for all to see that Kelechi Iheanacho will not succeed as a lone striker - that is why Pep Guardiola is willing to listen to offers for him. He is not very fast and gets isolated easily upfront. Though the former U-17 World Cup winner is very good in combination play, his ability to play with his back to goal has never been his strongest point.
The core players need more playing time

Bafana Bafana especially cruelly exposed the rustiness in the games of both Alex Iwobi and Iheanacho especially. There was no rhythm to their game as their lack of game time towards the end of the season came to the fore. The best thing for Rohr and the Eagles would be for his core players to play week in, week out for their respective clubs.

So many gaps for Rohr to plug

Stuart Baxter explained his game tactics in the post-match press conference and it was very simple - let the Nigerians have the ball and in the second half, the team moved five metres forward and that was the end of the domination enjoyed by the home team. Itumeleng Khune, in goal for Bafana Bafana, was not put under any pressure despite the 10 corner kicks the Eagles won.

Why have the goal posts been moved?

Amiesimaka wrote on Facebook, "Since Nigeria lost 2-0 at home in Uyo to South Africa this evening (for the first time in a competitive encounter), I've heard too many Nigerians request that the Rohr-led technical crew should be absolved from blame, noting how the game can be unpredictable, etc.

"Let me reiterate that Nigeria never lost to South Africa, home or away, in a competitive match under an indigenous coach!
"Would the narrative not have been different had a Nigerian been in Rohr's shoes today?

"Imagine for a moment that it was our own Christian Chukwu, or, the late Amodu Shuaibu, or, the late Stephen Keshi...

"No doubt, allegations of 'technical incompetence', 'inability to read a match', etc., would have been made against him, with very loud calls for "the infallible white man" to take over."

Why is the NFF apologizing?

Ahmed Fresh Yusuf, an NFF executive board member, wrote on Twitter, "Crucial matches ahead of @NGSuperEagles, the @BafanaBafana game has opened our eyes to our flaws. We apologized for the poor result. Thanks!

"This is the moment we should all support @NGSuperEagles. Enough of the blame game; let's help the team focus ahead of the Cameron game." But really, why is the NFF apologizing for a loss? No football team no matter how good is mandated to go unbeaten in any tournament or league - defeat is all part of the game. What they should be apologizing for is the non-explanation of missing balls and other issues - not losing a game!

We heard that the NFF did not have $250 to clear the balls sent by CAF, which meant the players never trained with the official match balls until Saturday. But just like other misdemeanours in the past, we are almost sure nobody will be held responsible for that mishap.

BascoVanVeli:


This is just comical. So u are blaming Onazi for the other midfielders not playing well? We should also blame him when they don't tie their shoe lace correctly.

zicky:
did Onazi play any better than the other two guyz, No. He can't claim to be an experience player without any visible evidence on the pitch

Icon4s:


The selective criticism was unimaginable.

Hate, hate and favoritism. Not good at all. The credibility of some of our judgements here was tested. And o ........ Too bad.

Kog45:
Honestly this thread is losing it.

BascoVanVeli:

I think people made their reasons of why we lost before the game even took place. There is no real analysis it's just let us keep blaming the guy we were blaming before.

Icon4s:


Some people defend some players here as though they have been employed as their Attorneys.

They are all Nigerians.

Having likes for some and hatred on others is totally uncalled for.

BascoVanVeli:
5 Players Nigeria' Super Eagles need back against Cameroon

Colin Udoh, KweséESPN

As was to be expected, the slipstream trailing Nigeria's 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying loss to South Africa continues to flow days later, and shows no signs of abating.

At least, not until the next game ...

Crisis meetings have been called by both the NFF and Sports Minister Solomon Dalung in a bid to decipher what went wrong against Bafana Bafana in Uyo on the weekend.

In the meantime, here are five players that Nigeria coach Gernot Rohr needs to have back for the 2018 World Cup qualifier double-header against Cameroon in August and September.

LEON 'TERMINATOR' BALOGUN
A beast in defence, Balogun not only has the intelligence to read plays, but the legs and lungs to hunt things down and terminate them either before they start, or at the point of danger. With him in the game, the probability is high that Nigeria would not have conceded the first of two goals against Bafana Bafana, and it is doubtful the Super Eagles would have suffered the breakdown that led to the second.

Here is why: either William Troost-Ekong or Balogun is normally designated to attack set-pieces in the opposition box, while the other stays home. In Saturday's game, the defensive midfielder (Ogenyi Onazi) and one other defender (Shehu on this occasion) stayed back to defend against breakaways and somehow lost their man. If Balogun was in the team, either he or Ekong would have remained, and Percy Tau would not have had the time and space he got to race away and score.

If Balogun gets fit, and stays fit till that Cameroon game, that defence will perk up considerably.

JOHN OBI MIKEL
Many have spent much of Mikel's international career defending his immense importance to the Nigeria team when many were questioning what value he adds. Now it is obvious for all to see.

Mikel is no flashy Austin Okocha-style number 10. What he gives is a world-class ability to control the midfield with calm efficiency and direct play at his own pace, forcing both his teammates and opponents to play the game his way. More like an Andrea Pirlo, Michael Carrick and Paul Scholes combo in one.

His reading of the game and the way he breaks up play is second to none, and his passing (in range and accuracy) is almost peerless in Africa. Deployed in a free, albeit advanced role, for Nigeria he has recently added the odd goal to his toolkit, as he showed against Algeria.

With him in the team, Nigeria would have found the solution to open up the narrow Bafana tactics, Iheanacho would have had chances, and every single player on the team would have a calm, controlled and available outlet under pressure.

Mikel's rehabilitation is going swimmingly and he should be ready for Cameroon.

VICTOR MOSES
The Chelsea star has the ability to open up the tightest of defences, especially from wide, or to arrive at the right time inside the box for a simple finish. With him out wide, the Super Eagles could probably have scored one of those first half chances they created.

Victor Moses is always a dangerous attacking winger for Nigeria and is also great at tracking back to support his fullback, a lapse that cost the Eagles the first goal, when both the left-back and wide forward pinched in, leaving defensive midfielder Onazi as the man to try to stop the cross that led to the goal.

Hopefully Moses recovers on time from his toe surgery to bring the cutting edge back in September.

ODION IGHALO/BROWN IDEYE
Now this is a choice that Rohr will not like because he is all about building a team of young players. But looking at Saturday's game, Nigeria needed an old-fashioned centre-forward who could have given the South African centre-backs more than enough to think about.

They needed someone who could have knocked down balls and held up play for arriving midfielders or wide forwards. It is hard to recall Iheanacho winning one aerial battle, even though his hold-up play was of a generally decent level. At least one of these two are desperately needed in the team at any point in time.

Rohr, who does not appear to rate players playing in China - except for Mikel - would do well to get one of these in when he names his squad for Cameroon.

VINCENT ENYEAMA
This chap needs to come back ASAP. Rohr has spoken to him, communicates with him regularly, and is hoping he will change his mind about not playing for the Super Eagles. KweséESPN understands from sources close to the player that he is mulling over the situation.

His presence, organization and stability he brings to the back - not to mention his quality goalkeeping in one-vs-one situations - will greatly help an inexperienced backline. In the absence of Balogun or a competent defender, Enyeama would have attacked that ball before Tokelo Rantie got to it and that first goal could have been avoided.

For the second, Enyeama would have called Shehu and Onazi to watch Tau on that breakaway and would have been quick off his line to meet him halfway to stop the ball. In any case, whenever the Super Eagles attack, Enyeama is always outside his box. He probably would have got to that ball before Tau.

The Lille goalkeeper is still in great form, and only missed two games of the French Ligue 1 season with injury. His return would not only provide a confidence boost for the squad, but would mean that Carl Ikeme's injuries would not be cause for hair-tearing. Until he decides whether he wants to return or not, Nigeria will just have to hope that Ikeme is fit for Cameroon.

BascoVanVeli:
Nigeria to move venue, date for WCQ


2:42 AM PT
Colin Udoh, KweséESPN

Nigeria are considering a change to both the date and venue for their 2019 World Cup qualifier against Cameroon, originally scheduled for the Godswill Akpabio Stadium Uyo in August.

Top NFF sources informed KweseESPN that the match could now be played on 1 September, rather than the initial scheduled date of 28 August.

One reason, according to multiple sources within the NFF, is to allow coach Gernot Rohr a little more training time with his squad.

With the change in date also comes a change in venue, with Uyo on the verge of being discarded.

Officials say the Yakubu Gowon Stadium in Port Harcourt is top on the list of replacement venues, with the National Stadium Abuja as a fallback option.

The pitch in Abuja has fallen into disrepair, but repair work is already going on with Lansard Ltd doing clean up while waiting for major rejuvenation for the now patchwork grass.

BascoVanVeli:
5 Players Nigeria' Super Eagles need back against Cameroon

Colin Udoh, KweséESPN

As was to be expected, the slipstream trailing Nigeria's 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying loss to South Africa continues to flow days later, and shows no signs of abating.

At least, not until the next game ...

Crisis meetings have been called by both the NFF and Sports Minister Solomon Dalung in a bid to decipher what went wrong against Bafana Bafana in Uyo on the weekend.

In the meantime, here are five players that Nigeria coach Gernot Rohr needs to have back for the 2018 World Cup qualifier double-header against Cameroon in August and September.

LEON 'TERMINATOR' BALOGUN
A beast in defence, Balogun not only has the intelligence to read plays, but the legs and lungs to hunt things down and terminate them either before they start, or at the point of danger. With him in the game, the probability is high that Nigeria would not have conceded the first of two goals against Bafana Bafana, and it is doubtful the Super Eagles would have suffered the breakdown that led to the second.

Here is why: either William Troost-Ekong or Balogun is normally designated to attack set-pieces in the opposition box, while the other stays home. In Saturday's game, the defensive midfielder (Ogenyi Onazi) and one other defender (Shehu on this occasion) stayed back to defend against breakaways and somehow lost their man. If Balogun was in the team, either he or Ekong would have remained, and Percy Tau would not have had the time and space he got to race away and score.

If Balogun gets fit, and stays fit till that Cameroon game, that defence will perk up considerably.

JOHN OBI MIKEL
Many have spent much of Mikel's international career defending his immense importance to the Nigeria team when many were questioning what value he adds. Now it is obvious for all to see.

Mikel is no flashy Austin Okocha-style number 10. What he gives is a world-class ability to control the midfield with calm efficiency and direct play at his own pace, forcing both his teammates and opponents to play the game his way. More like an Andrea Pirlo, Michael Carrick and Paul Scholes combo in one.

His reading of the game and the way he breaks up play is second to none, and his passing (in range and accuracy) is almost peerless in Africa. Deployed in a free, albeit advanced role, for Nigeria he has recently added the odd goal to his toolkit, as he showed against Algeria.

With him in the team, Nigeria would have found the solution to open up the narrow Bafana tactics, Iheanacho would have had chances, and every single player on the team would have a calm, controlled and available outlet under pressure.

Mikel's rehabilitation is going swimmingly and he should be ready for Cameroon.

VICTOR MOSES
The Chelsea star has the ability to open up the tightest of defences, especially from wide, or to arrive at the right time inside the box for a simple finish. With him out wide, the Super Eagles could probably have scored one of those first half chances they created.

Victor Moses is always a dangerous attacking winger for Nigeria and is also great at tracking back to support his fullback, a lapse that cost the Eagles the first goal, when both the left-back and wide forward pinched in, leaving defensive midfielder Onazi as the man to try to stop the cross that led to the goal.

Hopefully Moses recovers on time from his toe surgery to bring the cutting edge back in September.

ODION IGHALO/BROWN IDEYE
Now this is a choice that Rohr will not like because he is all about building a team of young players. But looking at Saturday's game, Nigeria needed an old-fashioned centre-forward who could have given the South African centre-backs more than enough to think about.

They needed someone who could have knocked down balls and held up play for arriving midfielders or wide forwards. It is hard to recall Iheanacho winning one aerial battle, even though his hold-up play was of a generally decent level. At least one of these two are desperately needed in the team at any point in time.

Rohr, who does not appear to rate players playing in China - except for Mikel - would do well to get one of these in when he names his squad for Cameroon.

VINCENT ENYEAMA
This chap needs to come back ASAP. Rohr has spoken to him, communicates with him regularly, and is hoping he will change his mind about not playing for the Super Eagles. KweséESPN understands from sources close to the player that he is mulling over the situation.

His presence, organization and stability he brings to the back - not to mention his quality goalkeeping in one-vs-one situations - will greatly help an inexperienced backline. In the absence of Balogun or a competent defender, Enyeama would have attacked that ball before Tokelo Rantie got to it and that first goal could have been avoided.

For the second, Enyeama would have called Shehu and Onazi to watch Tau on that breakaway and would have been quick off his line to meet him halfway to stop the ball. In any case, whenever the Super Eagles attack, Enyeama is always outside his box. He probably would have got to that ball before Tau.

The Lille goalkeeper is still in great form, and only missed two games of the French Ligue 1 season with injury. His return would not only provide a confidence boost for the squad, but would mean that Carl Ikeme's injuries would not be cause for hair-tearing. Until he decides whether he wants to return or not, Nigeria will just have to hope that Ikeme is fit for Cameroon.