₦airaland Forum

Awoniyi has 10 caps more than enough to show what he's about however I don't think his problem has been opportunity but injuries.

Nigeria is currently blessed with so many forwards that when Awoniyi is missing due to injury other forwards come in.

The competition for places in the striking department for anyone not named Osimhen is pretty intense that if you don't shine immediately you will lose your place. Guys like Sadiq, Onuachu, Moffi, Dessers, Tolu have struggled for game time in the SE with varying levels of effectiveness when they play.

The bottom line is no matter your status as a forward in club football if you don't make an instant impact with the national team you will be dropped for another option.

Don't forget that Awoniyi was part of the line up that failed to score against Lesotho including Boniface who is the only one you can argue was given very long rope.

forgiveness:
We should not forget Osimhen struggled to score in the first 5 matches he played but was still given chances upon chances before he picked up.

How many goals did he score in AFCON? He scored once and assisted 3 times.

The problem with Nigeria is, once you are a fan favorite, no matter what you play, you will still be given chances upon chances.

Awoniyi didn't enjoy the grace Osimhen enjoyed when he was inform.

For Osimhen, the patient eventually paid.

Loss of form and injuries.

Taiwo just never quite grabbed his opportunity when he was chosen to start.

In 2021 he was our main striker at the AFCON yet he didn't make an impact. Hasn't scored much in other matches.

Seriously one of the forwards has to step up to ease the burden on Osimhen.

Even during Yekini's time Amokachi, Siasia, Amuneke helped out with crucial goals.

Goke7:
like play like play, Awoniyi don drop out be that, chai

Like yesterday D'Law! We can't afford to cede midfield control to teams that actually have forwards to punish us.

Mujtahida:
It was obvious that we didn't have midfield control. Ebenezer has to be brought in

It was Moffi.

Mujtahida:
I think that pass was from Arokodare

Also were we not victims of the away goal rule that Ghana used to knock us out last time even though UEFA didn't apply it for their own WCQ then.

Goke7:
Were we not victims of the head-to-head rule introduced for the 2006 World Cup that saw Angola qualify ahead of us? Make Burkina Faso go rest jor, na we suppose dey complain pass with SA playing most of their games in the same stadium, city, and country. Make no person provoke me, abeg. Is play-off automatic qualification?

I've always fancied Moffi as a forward.

Remember his intelligent move last AFCON that got the SA defender sent off?

Also a potential partner for Victor in attack.

BankyGee:
We dey even overlook that intelligent 🧠 pass from Terem Moffi to Moses Simon that brought about the assist for the fourth goal.

If na another person dey there, them for no drop that pass. Too intelligent. A pocket pass.

The Gabonese have another decent forward in Bounga. Eric Chelle and co to take note.

BankyGee:
Osimhen is not human bruh 😂... Osimhen played the fewest matches (5) among everyone on this list. I'm imagining how it would've been if he had played all 10 matches or even 7! 😳

Yesterday is why I dey always dey him back like eczema. Remember how some people came for me last year for saying we wouldn't have gotten to the AFCON final without him.

Goke7:
Yekini was the only player back in the days of Westerhof who could walk into the starting line-up even if he reported late to camp, in fact if Yekini has not arrived Westerhof will almost be pissing in his pants, that's how indispensable he was, and those days especially if we are playing smaller nations, you can be sure of at least two goals from him. He was a joy-giver per excellence.

It's one major reason, no matter what anyone says about Osihmen, I will forever be among the 'Yes' men for the player, cos I understand the kind of treasure such a player is.

Honestly agenda poju! How Osimhen stays focused will all this yeye stories about him needs to be studied.

Goke7:
No be Lineker tell them say osihmen Dey disappear like wiliwili!

Abeg e ooo!

TheSuperNerd:
For even namedropping him at all... You are absolutely getting stoned for this @emboldened.

Yeah I noticed Colin has been unusually cold towards the team and I consider him one of the more objective Nigerian media people.

TheSuperNerd:
Don't thank Colin for anything. He is a self-servicer. He has been negative about the team's chances and is now forming hero because we have now gotten Playoffs qualification. He said WE SHOULD FORGET ABOUT NIGERIA MAKING IT.

Now that the euphoria of yesterday's great victory has died down it's time to come back to reality.

First of all the harsh truth is that we dropped the ball losing out on automatic qualification to SA who rightly capitalized on our unseriousness.

The consequence of this is that like the Israelites of old in the book of Exodus who used 40 years to reach the land of Canaan (journey of a couple of months at worst), we too have to embark on a tasking and potentially stressful journey through many knockout rounds.

Anyway what has happened has happened no use crying over spilt milk.

That said the players need to understand that this is an unlikely lifeline we have gotten and it's imperative that we don't blow it again.

Our African playoff opponents are much better teams than the ones we faced in our group and will surely not be so generous in missing begging opportunities unlike the teams we have encountered.

Nigeria doesn't have a divine right to qualify for competitions over other countries so apart from talent we have to bring hard work, hunger and laser focus to all our games going forward.

We have the personnel to clinch the WC ticket but the players have to realize they will have to do more to earn it and of course pray for good fortune but they say sometimes you make your own luck.

Lapses that need correcting before November include midfield and maybe defense. Hopefully Onyedika should be back but I think Chelle should also take a gamble and invite Ebenezer since he's playing regularly with decent performances.

Frederick has to absolutely pair Bassey so who plays RB? Maybe Agu, Osayi (do trust him to be honest), Awaziem (Played there in 2019 AFCON), or Sodiq (No stone me na joke o ) can fill in.

Current squad injury permitting except for Yusuf, Olusegun should also persecute the November Matches.

All hands on deck from Administrators, Coaches, Players, Media, Fans/Supporters, and Govt. Being at next year's WC is not negotiable!

Let's go Super Eagles.

Ejuke or Tella should be permanent back ups to the 3 wingers.

Diavolo:
Who's this olakunle guy. Clearly out of his depth.

Man Big Vic played 4 and a half games and still finished as our top goal scorer MONSTER MENTALITY.

More worrisomely why can't we just perform if Osimhen is not around?!

Odunayaw:
I really wish Osimhen was present against SA, who knows

Guy! Earlier in the second half e get one ball wey Osimhen work hard square for am. Na so baba collect ball under no pressure yet succeeded in stumbling and falling without getting off a shot. Honestly I weak.

Danielnino00:
If it was Ndidi with that ball, I would have bet my testicles that he won't score..
His miss against Zimbabwe is part of what put us in this tight spot

I give Moses Simon a lot of flack but he did well for the 4th and decisive goal.

More importantly special Kudos to him and his wife for discovering Benjamin Fredrick. Boy is quality.

Very annoying. If it's other teams now they turn to prime Onana.

Can't tell you how annoying it was seeing that yeye Rwandan goalkeeper making worldie saves against us too.

Odunayaw:
When e reach Nigeria's turn they always become Buffon

But but a so called football scout will be claiming he's useless, lacks football skill, plays in less 'fancied Porto team' yen yen yen

charlesemeka85:
Zaidu really surprised me with his overlapping runs and crosses

So good to have him back

We thank God for the result.

Kudos to the team for still keeping us in it.

Not the way I would have wanted but the boys now know we have two AFCON finals to navigate in November.

It will be long and tough but something tells me we like doing it the hard way.

God speed to the Super Eagles please don't blow this life line.

If I hear anyone remotely or otherwise question the Legendary status of Osimhen I fit give the pesin blow.

Thank you Osimhen, Thank you Frank! We live to fight another day.

Sadly that's how fickle football fans are especially the Nigerian variant.

Do well you're better than Pele's Brazil do badly the team should be disbanded and banished to Sambisa forest.

Not sure if Ghanaian, Cameroonian, Ivorian or Senegalese fans give their team this level of stick when they are poor.

Unlimited22:
I no blame una sha


People from every club carry Benin Republic flag for twitter


We wey dey here dey back the team from hour 1 despite everything


Una say na clueless Chelsea fans Dey drag Osimhen

No worry.

Olorun maje!

Odunayaw:
Ko ni Chelle 🙏🏾🙏🏾

Eritrean withdrew

raumdeuter:
Is there really an Eritrean conundrum or we just dey whine ourselves

Read the 2nd paragraph that started with "In consideration of withdrawal "

Na wa o Sweden with all their Gyokeres Isak and co may not be going to World Cup sha.

Game day optimistic of a positive result

Uyo stadium no get roof na.

123jamessmith:
Abeg who na know why Nff wan close roof of stadium for tomorrow match.

Honestly a lot of these 1994 set players can say the most annoying things.

Can't ever remember dem Odegbami, Christian Chukwu (RIP), Adokiye, and co being this loud and obnoxious.

Goke7:
Oliseh and his 94 set just want everyone to continue to have the impression that we can never have players like them anymore. Yes they were pioneers but they continue to act very immature in their views at times about the country. They forget that whatever they are today Nigeria as terrible as it is gave them the platform and they are nothing without that platform which is a rare privilege but at times they talk and act as if they are the ones who did the country a favour and am sick of all that nonsense talk. Next base jare

Lol that's us football fans for you D'Law.

Football has to be one of the few sports were spectators are all experts.

D'Law imagine a random person you met on the road side telling you how you should have filed a legal objection or used this or that legal strategy without having ever studied law in Uni.

Mujtahida:
Football is funny. You'd see fans saying we bought Isak, we bought Eze, we bought Eduardo.

Person wey dey mushin wey dem no know 😂😂

Just watched a clip of some fans warning Nwabali to be careful. As in what will you do?

We too we here dishing out strategies, formations and line ups.

The sense of ownership or rather of belonging is what fuels the delusion that we matter. And this is what makes the game sweet.

WHEN by God's grace we qualify for the 2026 WC on Tuesday the NFF shouldn't go and pop any yeye champagne or print congratulatory T-shirts like it was well in deserved.

The players should just humbly do a lap of honour thanking Nigerian fans for sticking with them through thick and thin.

Guys just looking at our group and I think winning by 1-0 will be enough hear me out.

If we win by that margin then we finish dead level with Benin on Goals Scored (12), Goals Conceded (, with Goal difference of 4 for both teams.

When that happens they H2H plus disciplinary record comes into play which still favours Nigeria.

Yes winning with extra goals will still be nice.

However all will be of no consequence if SA beats Rwanda.

I pray we're fortunate on Tuesday.

Once Okoye finishes serving his ban his brain go reset.

Karlovich:
When he looks at the other goalkeepers, one is a bench warmer in Israel while the other is in Tanzania this is what you get.

Top teams always get 3 quality goalkeepers every call up but for us it's always different. Same way we had Taminu starting back to back games for us until he signed for a mediocre team in England.

I'm sure if we manage to qualify Ahmed Musa and a few carpenters will be recalled.

Thanks Basco for the highlights didn't want to give myself BP watching the live match.

First of Nwabali WHAT THE F**K!?. Think he needs some bench time to cure his touching brain.

Osimhen unlucky not to get a goal. One of the few players in the squad who embodies a true elite spirit. If only for his sake I pray we qualify.

Benjamin didn't show much in the highlights but I heard he impressed. Future captain material.

Akor took his goal very well. Another good striking option.

Ekong great servant but shouldn't be starting games.

All told by some serious case of serendipity we are still in it.

All to play for on Sunday.

Loved how Victor led the team talk at the end.

BascoVanVeli:
Super Eagles vs Lesotho highlights

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdmPHnQ68Lw