₦airaland Forum

Kog45:
JHmm,Okoye is better than Nwabali?cuz he is in Seria A😄Oga Rowen William would be number one in some clubs in seria A

JohnBullMySon:
Hate watch SA at your emotional risk.

Dem fit win oh.

FiveFootNinja:
Strong disagree @bold. Eric Chelle actually solved DR Congo and quite easily too. What failed us against DRC was fitness + Osimhen injury. Watch the first 15-20 mins of that game against DRC. We wan kee them. We scored in the first 3 minutes. 3 minutes!! Remember, prior to our game that day, DRC had not conceded any goal that early. One of the most common talking point in previews that time was how difficult it was to score against DRC. In fact, DRC usually scored first against their opponents in the qualifiers. Even the game that Senegal beat them 3-2, it was DRC that was winning 2-0 before the game turned on its head. So we were basically the first team to put DRC one goal behind at that point in time.

And like someone else here said, that Ndidi + Chukwueze miscommunication was going to be our second goal, clean. If that second goal had entered, we would have ran away with that game just like we did with Benin and Gabon.

When we lost footing was towards the end of the second half. The 120 mins we played against Gabon prior started working against us and we started making elementary school mistakes that we don't usually make. Mistimed passes, poor positioning etc. Then Osimhen's injury happened and we completely lost the plot. Confidence plummeted to zero and DRC smelt blood, so they pounced. The only players who bothered to put up a fight that day were Benjamin, Bassey and Nwabali. Every one else was checked out mentally and physically.

Let me not even get started on Arokodare and how he flopped that header that would have effectively changed the game if he had buried it.

Or the penalties that Nwabali basically won for us with two abi even three saves (can't remember how many) but we failed to capitalize.

Woh- we threw the game away at every turn. We had so many chances to finish that game off but we couldn't. Because physically and mentally, the boys weren't there.

Till this day, I don't say DRC won. I say we lost. We had that game in our hands and threw it away.

TheSuperNerd:
Drogba was me when C.Ronaldo missed that first big chance yesterday...

Ronaldo and Drogba had very different reactions to this chance... 😅#FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/ZK5llh9Bdr

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) June 10, 2026

Amedino99:
What if this is his limit? Maybe he was never meant to grow more than this.

FiveFootNinja:
Wetin be compose? E no long like that abeg calm down. 😂😂

charlesemeka85:
EXCL: Rangers are preparing a formal offer for Blackburn’s Ryan Alebiosu.➡️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

🔎West Ham and Genoa are also monitoring.

💰Blackburn value him at £3–5m.

#RangersFC #WHUFC #Rovers

Samueltemi337:
And that's why people didn't really come for him because most of Nwabali errors didn't really cost us any game

Samueltemi337:
Na lie
Ronaldo really wanted to score

Samueltemi337:
And that's why people didn't really come for him because most of Nwabali errors didn't really cost us any game

Mujtahida:
Midfield needs personnel in the mould of a CM. We have too many DMs.

Zaidu either sits up or he'd be out of the team. Chuks has been disappointing. Simon - that one, you can never know when he'd get into the groove.

Our defense looks solid except the LB where we have just Bruno.

Bewene will quickly grow into that position - boy is strong, fast and confident. If he continues along this line, he will own that position few years from now.

mostob:
Play the ball forward and run across the defender. It's either the defender foul him or Moffi get a free run.

Chukwueze is just not serious

chrisooblog:
My brother I weak.

Osimhen's pass to Akor against Algeria just came to mind.

chrisooblog:
Good workout yesterday for the SE.

No shame losing to one of the best teams in the world and WC favorites.

I personally think the game was a great way to gauge the team's current level. For Africa in the short term we're good but for long term competitiveness and success at global level there's load of work to be done.

For immediate and long term success emphasis should be placed on scouting and grooming highly technical and creative type midfielders. Whether in the diaspora or local level we should prioritize looking for midfielders who will give are midfield that creative spark missing at the moment. Energy is covered we need more flair and ball retention skill set.

More LB options required as cover and competition for Bruno.

These are my humble thoughts, now player ratings from yesterday's match.

Okoye - 6: Good solid performance. Made a few nice saves. Couldn't do much in preventing the goals he conceded. Needs to be more vocal and commanding in control his box area so his defenders will try harder in preventing shots on goal.

Akpan - 5: Decent debut. Struggled in phases of the game but wasn't atrocious. Not easy facing that high level of competition on your first international bow but he will improve.

Bruno - 6: Very solid performance. Often snuffed out danger. Couldn't contribute as much offensively which is understandable considering the caliber of the opposition.

Ajayi - 5.5: Was caught out a few times but generally solid. Was calm in possession. Gave the ball away a couple of times but was firm when needed.

Bassey - 6.5: One of our better performers on the night. Energetic, robust, and unyielding. Knew when to commit a technical foul especially when we were under pressure. Though his ball distribution became porous especially in the latter stages of the second half.

Ndidi - 6: Best midfield performance for me for the team on the night. Calm in possession and tried as much as possible to progress the play especially during transitions. Tired out as the game wore on.

Nnadi - 5.5: Ran his sucks off and battled bravely against his more established opponents which wasn't an easy feat. Struggled to impose his game reflected in his mixed passes. All told very creditable performance. Did well too in the forward press.

Iwobi - 4: Not the best of games for the Centurion. Gave the ball away a couple of times and seemed off the pace. Worked hard in the press but couldn't keep up with the Portuguese midfielders who breezed past him on occasion. His trademark incisive passing in the final third was missing yesterday.

Fisayo - 5: Energetic and full of running. Apart from his assist for the goal didn't much worthy of note from an attacking standpoint. Was effective in the press.

Simon - 5: Showed flashes especially in the first half but didn't really trouble the Portuguese backline that much.

Akor - 7.5: One man battalion. Troubled the Portuguese defense and didn't give them a moments peace throughout the 1st half. His pressing was spot on and was our main attacking threat. Almost single handedly fashioned his goal out of nothing. Impressed with how he badgered Dias off the ball before collecting FDB's pass to calmly slot in. Wasn't as effective in the second half due to lack of adequate supply.

Subs:

Zaidu - 3: Poor performance bordering on diabolical. His energetic and robust play is no longer covering his lack of tactical and technical nous. We definitely need an upgrade in that LB position like yesterday.

Moffi - 4.5: Worked hard in pressing but couldn't do much also due to lack of supply.

Bekene - 5: Came in and settled the RB better. Did very well to intercept a few Portuguese counters. Wasn't able to contribute offensively due to pressure from the Portuguese.

Onyedika - 4.5: His inclusion initially looked to have settled the midfield and brought more stability but his lack of bravery and attacking intent turned me off. I expect better for someone of his technical abilities.

Onyeka - 4.5: Worked hard but struggled to match the more technically adept Portuguese midfielders.

Onuachu - 4: Works hard and puts himself about but struggles to fit in with the teams general tactical setup. Not an attack on him as a player but just the brutal truth of what he brings to the team currently.

Chukwueze - 3.5: Deviod of the instant impact of the bench he was expected to bring. Spoilt a very promising counter.

Full makes to Eric Chelle and the technical crew for setting up the team well. Different personnel in different positions and the outcome could have been better.

FiveFootNinja:
At the 2026 USCAMEX FIFA World Cup,

Countries I'm rooting hard for:
Brazil, England, Japan

Countries I have a soft spot for (but won't hurt me if they lose):
Korea Republic, Mexico, USA, Canada, Turkiye, Australia, Senegal, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iraq

Countries I simply don't care about:
Czech Republic, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Switzerland, Qatar, Scotland, Haiti, Paraguay, Ivory Coast, Ecuador, Germany, Curacao, Netherlands, Sweden, Tunisia, Belgium, Iran, New Zealand, Spain, Cape Verde, Uruguay, France, Algeria, Jordan, Austria, Portugal, Norway, Uzbekistan, Croatia, Panama

Countries I hate and I'm actively rooting against to fail:
South Africa, Morocco

Countries I like but I'm rooting against anyway for the banter:
Ghana, Argentina, DR Congo

I think that about covers it.

SymphonyRad:
I don't blame him, if Nigeria didn't turn itself to Osimhen fc with all our talent pools and huge population, we wouldn't have to keep depending on Osimhen while recycling players like Moffi and Onuachu who are dedicated players (God bless their efforts) but are limited in the system we play. That's why Chelle shouldn't use this summer break to just relax, he should keep beaming his radar on young strikers like George Ilenikhena whom he has mentioned already, there are also several undiscovered Nigerian talents in the lower rungs of Europe especially the Czech league that seems to be the new talent factory for Nigeria.

Kog45:
Oga in a competitive match can you stake Nigeria beating Portugal?

Kog45:
Ronaldo just played canon fodder match against Nigeria,so what are you saying...

SymphonyRad:
Brosky we are saying the same thing, call it moral victory or self-consolation...but the scoreline at the end was 2:1, and it will go on the record books that Portugal with it's full complement of world class players failed to drub a considerably second string Nigerian side at their backyard. That's why it pains me the likes of Osimhen and Lookman (especially Osimhen) always find ways to avoid top draw games like this. I'll still insist and bet any amount that if we had Osimhen, Lookman, Benjamin, Azeez, Aina and Nwabali...this should have on any odds being a 2-2 type of scoreline. Remember Akor missed a good opportunity to score from a break and Dele Bashiru killed a counter that should have led to a goal, not forgetting Chukwueze's gaffe as well...put Osimhen, Lookman or Azeez at the end of those counters...we might have seen a different outcome.

At the end we were lucky, but we competed well...another team would have been annihilated by Portugal.

Kog45:
My takes on Portugal friendly

1.Goalkepping...Okoye for the first time proved that he has come of age and good that we are having two solid safe hands,am waiting for Okonkwo real grade A match.

2.RB,good that we have options in Bewane and Akpan but they are not better than Aina and Osayi for now

3.LB,Bruno is solid as usual,good performance but we need strong back up,not really comfortable with Sanusi

4.Midfield,Ndidi,Iwobi and Oyenka are doing extremely well and i do not see reason why Oyenka should be on the bench for Fisayo Dele Bashiru..good that we are having Nnadi but we need more midfielders to give healthy competition in the team

5.Forwards,we missed Osimhen but Akor proved that he is reliable..Moffi and Onuachu will continue to be on the bench and i do not see Onuachu lasting in the team,we need third attacker and Moffi and Onuachu cannot do it.

6.Wide forwards,we missed Lookman,nothing to say on Simon and Chuckwueze performance cuz we are use to it but good that we are having Azeez in the mix and hopefully Zodak progresses...

Generally,Chelle and his men are doing extremely well cuz we are having identity now not like before,but need to continue pushing for more talents

Odunayaw:
All the replays showed that ball wasn't a goal o

Goke7:
Exactly just like against Morocco he was trying to ginger our midfield!

Dude understand the mentality for big games

DeloitteNG:
The funniest thing is that Bassey made more errors than Ajayi in that match

SymphonyRad:
It wasn't a goal

SymphonyRad:
That high line pressing game we played was really a bad idea, but honestly if we had Osimhen, Lookman, Femi Azeez, and Benjamin/Nwaiwu partnering Bassey...we should have drawn this match, the backline save for Bassey was as bad as any makeshift backline can get so we did well to hold arguably the best team in the world to a 2-1 game.

Tinneh:
After being played out of positions in past games, he got an opportunity to stamp his authority in a very familiar role and unfortunately he ghosted for most parts ,,,

elyte89:
If the whole ball crossed the line..d ref gadget will beep ..so it wasn’t a goal .

Amedino99:
I think the ball landed on some paint.

Amedino99:
He plays like aribo. Useless in the midfield but somehow you will see him in the opponent's box 18.

Goke7:
Once Iwobi can’t get his rhythm we are cooked