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Nairaland Forum / Entertainment / Sports / Nigeria's Aribo, Ajayi Set The Cat Eyes At Nigeria Vs Brazil (396 Views)
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Nigeria's Aribo, Ajayi Set The Cat Eyes At Nigeria Vs Brazil by Robenna(m): 10:42pm On Oct 16, 2019 |
Joe Aribo and Semi Ajayi are not supposed to be starters for
Nigeria's Super Eagles, but after two excellent efforts in recent
weeks, including a 1-1 draw against Brazil this past weekend,
coach Gernot Rohr will have much to consider.
When they both started the last friendly against Ukraine, it didn't
look anything out of the ordinary. Aribo and Ajayi did so by
default, filling in for two players who had withdrawn from injury.
Aribo for Wilfred Ndidi and Ajayi for Kenneth Omeruo.
One month on and repeat pullouts once again saw both players
handed starting shirts against Brazil. It was Omeruo again who
begged off in defence, and in midfield, while Ndidi returned,
Oghenekaro Etebo took his turn to pull out with injury.
It turned out to be a another good day for the stand-ins. Again.
Ajayi cut an impenetrable figure in defence, and Aribo went and
got himself his second goal from his first two international starts.
Which means it looks as if those withdrawals are about to have
permanent consequences for the starting lineup going forward,
not to mention a gargantuan selection headache for Rohr.
Ajayi cut an imperious tower in defense, playing at centreback
alongside William Troost-Ekong, where his imposing figure
harkened back to days of the gentle giant Uche Okechukwu.
The West Bromwich Albion defender, who can play as a right
back and central midfielder, was a bulwark against the fearsome
Brazil frontline of Neymar (who left early to injury to be replaced
by Phillipe Coutinho), Roberto Firmino, Richarlison and Gabriel
Jesus.
Troost-Ekong has made it a habit to look good in defence, but he
looked even better with Ajayi beside him. But Ajayi's most
important contribution, as he did against Ukraine, was his ability to
gobble up aerial bombardments.
It is instructive that it was one of the few headed battles he lost
that led directly to Brazil's equalizer, after Aribo had given the
Super Eagles the lead.
If there's to be any complaint about his performance, it was his
tendency to drift way up the pitch, and into territories that
centrebacks are not supposed to chart.
As for Aribo, his first two international appearances could not
have gone any better. He scored on his debut against Ukraine,
then followed it up by scoring against Brazil, and not a second
string either.
Even with that notch on his belt, it was a measure of the Rangers
man that with 82 minutes on the clock, Aribo still had the lungs
and the will to hunt down Richarlison on a dangerous break, block
the pass, then nick the ball from the Everton man.
And deep into stoppage time, his own breakaway forced a
professional foul from Thiago Silva which, a few meters closer to
goal could have been a red card.
So now, these two men who were low down the depth chart
have provided reason for Rohr to develop a few more grey hairs.
Benin and Lesotho are up next month in two 2021 Africa Cup of
Nations qualifiers. With all his players fit and available, who does
the German pick to start?
Omeruo has improved so much this past year at Leganes that he
has become a stalwart in that Nigeria backline and showed it at the
Afcon. But how does Rohr justify dropping Ajayi? Or does he go
for three at the back?
It is the same thing in midfield. Aribo may not score in his next
game for Nigeria, but he doesn't need to. What he offers is his
energy, tidy play, and the constant threat of a goal, which means
that dropping him could well set off Twitter rants across the
nation.
But who goes out? Ndidi is virtually untouchable. Etebo, when fit,
offers different looks in both attack and defense and - contrary to
some opinion - Alex Iwobi puts on a good shift behind the striker.
Just a few months ago, Ajayi was getting cut from Nigeria's Afcon
2019 squad, and few Nigerians had even heard of Aribo. How
times have changed.
Other notes...
He has taken flak for his game management, but Gernot Rohr
went some way to answering his critics. For one, his team played
with great shape and kept one of the most dangerous national
team strike forces at bay for 90 minutes and change.
He also broke from his usual tradition, giving almost all the new
call-ups game time. So Maduka Okoye may not have got his time
in goal if not for injury to Francis Uzoho, but at least Rohr picked
him and not Ikechukwu Ezenwa.
Uzoho took plenty of criticism leading up to Afcon after his error
against Seychelles. But he has bounced back and cemented his
place as the Super Eagles' number one... and then gets injured.
While it was a chance for Rohr to hand Dusseldorf goalkeeper
Okoye his debut, it is still a bit worrying for the lad.
Meanwhile, Peter Olayinka saw himself involved along with
Ramon Azeez, as did Dennis Bonaventure. All provided great
opportunities to have the rule run over them.
But Paul Onuachu will need to do some to convince Nigerians he
is the best backup forward to Victor Osimhen, after play
continually broke down at his feet. |
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