₦airaland Forum

TheSuperNerd:
Zaidu Sanusi.... another solid performance from the LB. Loads of defensive contributions from Zaidu. He stood his ground & made his wing impassable for Gabon's tricky wingers. Also contributed going forward by providing an extra passing option in the middle when we recycled possession and looked to break forward in vertical fashion.
Was involved in the lovely passing sequence that led to Ndidi's assist for Ejuke.

He would be key vs DRC

Zaidu is underrated. Man defends well and has a solid tank..He maintains a certain energy level just like Bassey. Really feel bad for Aina's absence. That backline would've been more balanced.

NGA vs DRC

This SE team have found a rhythm under Chelle scoring 4 goals in consecutive games.
Naija to pip DRC. Any goal margin will do.

kodded:
same ref that gave us a lifeline by not awarding garbon penalty

He leaned towards Nigeria for that big call but he did the opposite in quite a number of other circumstances.

Watching CMR vs DRC shows just how physical the final is going to be. Leniency with rash tackling could lead to injuries to key players.

This SA ref has made some dodgy calls.

What a silly decision to card Onyeka when he was obviously on the end of very bad tackles.

Hopefully he has no business officiating in this playoffs

Playing in the MLS shouldn't be the sole criteria to measure a player's quality.

A key battle our defenders will face against Gabon will come from Bouanga who is an MLS player.

Osimhen is carrying this current SE team.

There are other good players but he is clearly in a different class.

All our opponents will center their tactics around keeping him quiet which isn't easy.
We need some of his teammates to step up when the going gets tough.

A good number of players have contrasting form for Club and Country.

Osimhen deserves all the praise he gets because the man turns whenever and wherever.

Lookman has arguably performed better at Club level. His national team output has been decent but can be way better.

Nehruvia:
The way people here and on Twitter are downplaying Gabon is crazy. They're actually the deadliest team en route to our spot in the World Cup. Don't be fooled by the game against Benin. We still had plenty of defensive lapses in that game. We gave Benin lots of spaces. Benin were just not clinical and that's why they didn't punish us severely.

Gabon is the game that will make or break the Eagles in the playoffs. If we beat them, we are very likely going to the World Cup.

Gabon and DRC are the strongest teams in the playoffs based on the performances and results during qualification.
The SE have pedigree and momentum which counts during tournaments. It will be an interesting game but definitely not a walk over.

Ihenzy:
Bro, can you identify zaidu when you see him?

Because I'm beyond shock seeing your take. That man was solid. Even with his injury scare Chelle still choose to keep him until he could no longer play.

Abeg make we dey talk true sometimes sha

Sad to say this but quite number of peeps view players through the ethnic lense. Bruno hasn't been able to match Zaidu's defensive displays.
Big issue with Zaidu is his crosses when he overlaps.

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/17AsZvRkmb/

Watched this interesting piece from Fabregas.

I think Chelle made this error against Lesotho. Bringing on defenders for midfielders/strikers to defend a slender lead invites pressure on the team which could be costly.

mank1234:
Summary

JP's team only clicked fully during AFCON when he switched to 3-5-2 formation which suited his personnel at that time.

Finidi had no business coaching the SE. If NFF acted swiftly after AFCON to appoint someone better suited, we should be celebrating qualification now not playoffs.

minfelix:
Though that system favoured us, but so unfair to many teams oo🤣🤣….CAF/FIFA going forward need to look for another way to balance things…Steve Yago is nearing his career end with grudges….this guy go soon comot cloth inside bathroom swe@r for CAF/FIFA just like Joe erico and Oliseh did to super eagles🤣🤣

I feel his pain cos we could be on the wrong end of this rule at some point in the future.

CAF should ensure all the last games of the WCQ are played at the same time for fairness.

opes:
The Eritrea factor hit Burkina Faso the most. They earned 21 points from regular matches, but had 9 goals and 6 points deducted, which cost them a playoff spot

Without the fourth goal our victory would only have opened the door for these lousy Southies?

The world cup needs prime Osimhen. Glad we still have a chance.

The team found a way to harness Osimhen's aerial prowess to devastating effect today.

Wingers do not always need to take on players, just float in nice crosses and the "headmaster" will do the needful.

Observed Osimhen was attacking the spaces towards the far end of the goal post though he wasn't picked out on some occasions but the second goal was a clear example.

Our dependence on Osimhen is scary though.
Who can deputize him at the moment

Kudos Eric Chelle.

Osimhen!!! Greatness

These guys need to go the World cup.

I like the mentality in this game. Let the team sustain abeg

The SE's best result/performance in this WCQ was away in Kigali. Probably the new coach effect.

Our offensive transitions are too slow. The team ends up in the final third with the opposition defence usually well organized.

The second goal yesterday showed that with quick breaks, our attackers could be in 3 vs 3 or 2 v 2 situations which could easily lead to a goal.

I need to see those SA folks that invaded this thread after the draw with them. I want to check something.😅
Zimbabwe just came to spoil their party.

Akor Adams showed something sha.

Last round of matches in this group will be bloody.

Chelle's insistence on playing a 2-man midfield will play into Rohr's hand.

This team isn't mentally strong. The older guys in this team aren't doing enough to keep the team composed in difficult moments.We have rode our luck this far. Let's see where this ends.

Whatever happens, Chelle needs to find a balance to our midfield. We find it difficult to keep control of games for long spells.

Akinsanmiro should be a starter in this side.

So Naija had to defend deep against Lesotho after taking a 2 goal lead!!!

This SE side are now minnows. No cap

But I think this group is good for the neutrals.

The nerves have gotten to SA finally.

I hope this team has a sound psychologist. At this level it is more mental than mere tactics.

Tuesday will be very very nervy and interesting.

Our WC group is some sticky place.

Four teams relying on each other for qualification.

The last round of qualifying matches will be extremely nervy.

Benin fit shame bookie's favorites (NGA/SA) enter world cup.

Abeg make Calabar man wey there near sharply locate Hamilton to offer the right "prayers" for the dog.

BankyGee:
😏

Benin are in a good position. Sticky part for them is playing the SE in the final round of matches. Would prefer Benin qualifying to these unruly Southies.

There could be a possible twist here.

Benin could sneak in when SA get their points deducted and SA might be the ones slugging it out in the playoffs.

This group is still a very open one.

The current predicament isn't on Sekou Chelle.

Too many "if's" but the best he can do is win the remaining games and prepare well for AFCON.

It is abominable that the SE have bottled it when Africa will be represented by twice the previous number of teams .

Those dimwits in the NFF/NSC have done Nigerians dirty.

A solid defensive performance will be key today.

This SE side has struggled to score goals even against lesser opponents in the WCQ.

Can't see SA not getting a goal in this game.

Prediction NGA 2 : 1 RSA

Our last two goals in the WCQ have come through Tolu's hold up play in the 18-yard box which appears to be something from the training ground.

Can't remember when last we saw a curler or volley from outside the box. This team needs to vary their approach in the final third.

Boni's move to Milan is an interesting one. I really hope he makes it big there to break the so-called jinx of Nigerian players at AC Milan.

Good to see Chelle giving different players the chance. By September, I would like to believe players will be selected more objectively.

Maduka and Fisayo really impressed IMHO.The team showed better spatial awareness in the second half.

As fans I think we get too emotional following a loss. This same team won in Rwanda (a very difficult place to get a result), but drew (lost) at home in the dying minutes of added time.

Let us see what Chelle can cook. If we miss our of the world cup, it isn't his fault but the clowns in the NFF.

Rohr's scouting team did a great job. Chelle needs his own guys to do same. After AFCON, we can the assess Chelle's performance.

semid4lyfe:
South Africa has a whopping +5 goal difference, and that's my real worry.

Their 13 points haul will be reduced to 10 points when FIFA deducts 3 points for their fielding of an ineligible player. (I'm confident this will happen).

Also, SA's goal difference will take a hit with 3 goals deduction and reduce to +2.

With 10 points, if SA wins three matches of their remaining four matches (I assume they'll lose against us), they'll be on 19 points.

If the Super Eagles win all their four remaining matches, which includes beating SA in their home, we'll be on 19 points too.

In my mind we can defeat Benin Republic at home. Lesotho away and Rwanda at home....,and it must be done handsomely..

Anyhow e wan be, we must pick 3 points against South Africa.

Ultimately, it'll boil down to goal difference so we must score goals.

Is this doable and possible, emphatically YES.

There's still that glimmer of hope so I ain't giving up yet.

Tedium lies the road to success and like 2baba go talk, if e easy na set up.

Believe.

Our SA brothers have also accepted their fate with regards the FIFA hammer. It's just a matter of "when" not "if" for them now. FIFA would not like the case going to CAS.
The head-to-head rule takes precedence over goal difference if two are 2 teams tie at top (like Angola and Nigeria in 2006 WCQ). If these guys manage to win in SA, and tie them on points, Nigeria qualifies irrespective of their goal difference..but can these guys we are seeing do it I only feel sorry for Osimhen , Lookman and the die hard SE fans.

elyte89:
Come to think of it…this could be a blessing in disguise guys cos from findings it shows dt the 3points will be deducted for sure and if that will happen,it means we still av d World Cup qualification in our hands

Now let’s assume dis scenario played out in a must win game against Benin 🇧🇯 in d last game for us to qualify…so many ppu will have heart attack 😀😀😀😀


So guys we re still in it …3points will be deducted from SA CONFIRMED.

If this current SA meets this current SE in South Africa,I can't see a Naija win. Watched highlights of the Benin Vs SA match, This SA team are a serious problem. How can one explain that in a WCQ with nine groups NGR isn't even second at the half way point.

Those dimwits in the NFF need to called out.

Also some of the players are mentally not as strong as they should. If Chelle gets his midfield combo right the SA game will be interesting from a neutral's perspective.