₦airaland Forum

lbrichman2:
Dude even has a reputation as a controversial ref

NFF have never been proactive.
With a thorough search, they would have known that he is a controversial referee and petition CAF to change him.

Goke7:
You’ve said it all 💯 na to Dey raise our game more in bigger games remain

Exactly! It’s not the SE are not making it to the SFs and Finals but it’s taking that next step…

lbrichman2:
These people are funny
How do you crumble technically and somehow manage not to concede
We crumble technically yet Morocco no see goal score, not even a clear cut chance..
Funny lots looking for who or what to blame as usual

We crumbled because we had the PK advantage in the shootout and threw it away when Chuks missed.

We crumble in the big, pressure cooker moments.

This was the final before the final due to the Moroccans home-field advantage. Win this and we are in a better position for the final.

Sarsaparilla524:
NFF have never been proactive.
With a thorough search, they would have known that he is a controversial referee and petition CAF to change him.

and caf didn’t know he had questionable reputation before they appointed him to officiate the game?

Bro the script hv been written since and Morocco lobbied Caf to help them in winning the competition atleast to compensate them the amount of money they spent in hosting the competition

Prior to the commencement of the competition Morocco citizens have been protesting that the government are channeling a lot of money in football and infrastructure instead of the health and other sectors that requires attention so the government have to do whatever it takes to win this afcon just to justify all the money spent to host it

No matter how well super eagles might have played yesterday they won’t win that game because all odds were against them


I think the current SA caf president will be the most corrupt and inept Caf president ever

Sarsaparilla524:
NFF have never been proactive.
With a thorough search, they would have known that he is a controversial referee and petition CAF to change him.

I thought about this as well, but what’s the assurance that alternative ref wouldn’t be worse ?

CAF is not hiding their intentions, changing of ref wouldn’t alter their agenda!


We also need to accept that Morocco team is one of the top 2 teams in Africa, a very solid team. I can’t see the Senegalese winning the Moroccans in Sunday ..

Papi85:
and caf didn’t know he had questionable reputation before they appointed him to officiate the guy?

Bro the script hv been written since and Morocco lobbied Caf to help them in winning the competition atleast to compensate them for the amount of money they spent in hosting the competition

No matter how well super eagles might have played yesterday they won’t win that game because all odds were against them

If Chuks had scored yesterday, we would have torn that script
Alas, Chuks had other ideas

Famocious:
I thought about this as well, but what’s the assurance that alternative ref wouldn’t be worse ?

CAF is not hiding their intentions, changing of ref wouldn’t alter their agenda!


We also need to accept that Morocco team is one of the top 2 teams in Africa, a very solid team. I can’t see the Senegalese winning the Moroccans in Sunday ..

Yes but they couldn't beat us in over 120 mins with all their ojoro
You think they will want to play us again?

lbrichman2:
If Chuks had scored yesterday, we would have torn that script
Alas, Chuks had other ideas

what about Bruno?

The fact that we hinged our disappointing performance yesterday on Ndidi's absence makes it even more pathetic, Ndidi though fair play to him for having a solid tournament is already 29 and isn't particularly Sergio Busquets.. same way we folded against DR Congo when Osimhen was taken out...I mean how long will these excuses continue? we had all these players in the finals against Ivory Coast in 2023 yet failed to muster a decent shot on target if memory serves me right.

Why's the Nigerian mentality so poor especially in key moments? this was the same conundrum even when we had our golden generation in the 90's, outplayed a Baggio led Italy in the '94 world cup only to lose it and crash like a stack of wild cards in the dying embers of the game. 17 semi finals and 8 finals and we have just 3 AFCONs to show for it...two back to back world cup misses, I don't even know which is more painful- losing that world cup ticket to a arguably the worst Ghanaian team we ever played in Abuja, or the PK disaster against a DRC team we scored first against and had the better of the half until we collapsed in the second, now this...

Omo kudos to every Nigeria out there, I don't know how we do it, but we have the thickest skins to trauma walahi, it gets to a point you throw your hands up in hopeless resignation and ask when does it all end...

We go again in the next AFCON- fancy track suits and kits, another Naija motivational "fellow Nigerians I no go let you down" rousing anthem etc, beat all the teams in our groups only to lose to Ghana in the quarters (God forbid sha), but omo I'm just tired abeg.

lbrichman2:
This team is becoming hard to score against
We played the number 1 team on the continent, on their home turf and against a biased referee, and yet still didn't concede..

Bruno, Osayi and Ajayi stepped up massively 🔥🔥
With the returning Frederick, we would become even stronger
Our defence didn't panick yesterday
No anxious moments
My heart no even skip any beat..

You need to listen to foreign analysts they are praising our players especially our defenders and midfielders for keeping the Moroccans at bay! They are even blaming our strikers for not taking enough shots at goal when they had the ball.

Some are now asking where was our experienced players and strikers during the spot kicks

mrwilliams9:
We crumbled because we had the PK advantaged in the shootout and threw it away when Chuks missed.

We crumble in the big, pressure cooker moments.

This was the final before the final due to the Moroccans home-field advantage. Win this and we are in a better position for the final.

Then say it like that..
Because some of you are talking like the coach messed up yesterday..
As far as I'm concerned, Chuks shouldn't have played that pk yesterday..

In fairness though, Chelle said these were the best PK takers in training
Unfortunately Chuks killed the advantage
We will take the lessons and we will be back

Same outcome as the WCQ play off but there was no fear, no folding this time.

I saw grit, tenacity, fighting spirit and a determination not to lose from our boys. Funny thing is that game could have continued for another 30 minutes and we wouldn't have conceded.

Unfortunately, penalty proved to be our albatross, and once again our takers let Nwabili down despite his heroics.

Kudos to the boys and Eric Chelle. The NFF should give the coach an extended contract that runs until the end of the 2027 AFCON.

It can only get better.

lbrichman2:
Yes but they couldn't beat us in over 120 mins with all their ojoro
You think they will want to play us again?

They see us as a more competitive team compared to the Senegalese. Sure, they wouldn’t like to meet us again in an open field!

Papi85:
what about Bruno?

Bruno's was a good kick
The keeper just happened to move in his direction
But if Chuks had scored his, momentum for shift
Our players confidence would have risen

Goke7:
You need to listen to foreign analysts they are praising our players especially our defenders and midfielders for keeping the Moroccans at bay! They are even blaming our strikers for not taking enough shots at goal when they had the ball.

Some are now asking where was our experienced players and strikers during the spot kicks

Osimhen, Akor and Lookman should have played those Pks

And we need to learn to shoot from outside the 18
That's one area I'm not too happy with Osimhen for

You can't play good football against Morroco. The ref will frustrate you. CAF will arrange another Joy killer referee for the final.

lbrichman2:
Then say it like that..
Because some of you are talking like the coach messed up yesterday..
As far as I'm concerned, Chuks shouldn't have played that pk yesterday..

In fairness though, Chelle said these were the best PK takers in training
Unfortunately Chuks killed the advantage
We will take the lessons and we will be back

That is what I meant about crumbling. 4 key examples in the past 4 years.

2022 WCQ - Just needed to beat Ghana 2-1 at home. Managed a toothless 1-1 draw and lost on away goals.

2023 AFCON final - See out a 1-0 lead against CIV. We regressed and played our worst match that tourney.

2026 WCQ Playoff - We were outplayed for 120 mins but still didn’t have the composure to convert our kick.

2025 AFCON SF - Played our worst football of the tournament after looking like the team to beat up till the QFs. Again, no composure to convert our kicks.

There’s a mentality issue we have to address.

17 semi-finals, 8 final appearances, 3 titles. Not good enough, simple.

Famocious:
They see us as a more competitive team compared to the Senegalese. Sure, they wouldn’t like to meet us again in an open field!

Exactly
I pray we meet them in the next AFCON

I suggest the NFF retain Chelle so he can continue with the team because he have already created a system which made the team flourish

All he needs is just to give a chance to more young talented players mixed with the old guards like Ndidi,Iwobi,Samu,Mola,Osayi,Bruno,Bassey etc

Also the NFF should aggressively scout for players to add more quality to the team

Chelle does need to be more proactive with his subs.

We should have taken off Adams and Lookman for proper wingers. So Ejuke and Simon or Chuks.

The midfield was getting choked so should have tested Morocco’s wings a bit better…

Still, he should stay on until AFCON 2027 and 2028 at minimum

semid4lyfe:
Same outcome as the WCQ play off but there was no fear, no folding this time.

I saw grit, tenacity, fighting spirit and a determination not to lose from our boys. Funny thing is that game could have continued for another 30 minutes and we wouldn't have conceded.

Unfortunately, penalty proved to be our albatross, and once again our takers let Nwabili down despite his heroics.

Kudos to the boys and Eric Chelle. The NFF should give the coach an extended contract that runs until the end of the 2027 AFCON.

It can only get better.

I’m really proud of Chelle and his boys

lbrichman2:
Osimhen, Akor and Lookman should have played those Pks

And we need to learn to shoot from outside the 18
That's one area I'm not too happy with Osimhen for

Apart from Lookman no other eagles player attempts to shoot from outside the box even the one from onyedika was too woeful. Make our players Dey more adventurous. If Oliseh didn’t shoot from outside the box we won’t have beaten Spain in France 98.

Even look at mane goal against Egypt it was from outside the box after another teammate has attempted initially and mane hit it again after the initial one was blocked.

mrwilliams9:
That is what I meant about crumbling. 4 key examples in the past 4 years.

2022 WCQ - Just needed to beat Ghana 2-1 at home. Managed a toothless 1-1 draw and lost on away goals.

2023 AFCON final - See out a 1-0 lead against CIV. We regressed and played our worst match that tourney.

2026 WCQ Playoff - We were outplayed for 120 mins but still didn’t have the composure to convert our kick.

2025 AFCON SF - Played our worst football of the tournament after looking like the team to beat up till the QFs. Again, no composure to convert our kicks.

There’s a mentality issue we have to address.

17 semi-finals, 8 final appearances, 3 titles. Not good enough, simple.

To be fair, I think we had the right mentality in yesterday's game..
With all the ref's antics, our boys didn't show frustration or fold
We still matched Morocco toe to toe..
Unfortunately the Pks again were our undoing..

I'm seeing this as a lesson
I find it hard to blame the boy's mentality after what I saw yesterday
The gave everything..

lbrichman2:
Osimhen, Akor and Lookman should have played those Pks

And we need to learn to shoot from outside the 18
That's one area I'm not too happy with Osimhen for

one of these guys will score after that Morocco miss to give us a 2-1 advantage

If this afcon was hosted outside of Morocco I bet you that they highest they can get is the second round or quarter finals

TheSuperNerd:
Progress the ball and beat the press is one... but there is a third element. Physical aggression. These midfielders must be badass aggressive as well as technical.

I know I am a brain over brawn football lover but I prefer a player that can do both with immaculate balance. Even if the balance is decent, I go still manage and build on am.

This is why it hurts seeing Christantus Uche used as a striker at Palace. That is one guy to put in the middle and come up against such a system. BEASTLY strong, technical, progressive, and also not slow. A Yaya profile.

Being Progressive and Technical like Onyedika is no longer enough. If you are not Physically aggressive, na minus be that.

This is where Onyedika really failed today. He should have stepped up his "aggression meter" to ensure his other qualities shone through against the press.

No way that Moroccan press will bully or push back a midfield of Powerhouse yet technical midfield players.

Nah, supernerd ... now I respect you. You said my mind on solutions to the problem. Christantus Uche was who I was þhinking of this morning. Sad that Michael Olise is not playing for Nigeria. Can't nlame him though.

Goke7:
Apart from Lookman no other eagles player attempts to shoot from outside the box even the one from onyedika was too woeful. Make our players Dey more adventurous. If Oliseh didn’t shoot from outside the box we won’t have beaten Spain in France 98.

Even look at mane goal against Egypt it was from outside the box after another teammate has attempted initially and mane hit it again after the initial one was blocked.

Simple!
The Moroccans knew Lookman ability from outside the box, that's why they always swamped him whenever he had the ball..

These guys sat down and studied our game while we dey inside bus they sing and travel back and forth..

I respect Morocco sha
They are ruthless
They leave no stone unturned
They make it easy for CAF to back them

What if all of this was part of some backstage arrangement?

Goke7:
Apart from Lookman no other eagles player attempts to shoot from outside the box even the one from onyedika was too woeful. Make our players Dey more adventurous. If Oliseh didn’t shoot from outside the box we won’t have beaten Spain in France 98.

Even look at mane goal against Egypt it was from outside the box after another teammate has attempted initially and mane hit it again after the initial one was blocked.

bro the Moroccans didn’t allow our players hv a sniff of their goal post especially Lookman who they know has the ability to shot with both legs

mrwilliams9:
That is what I meant about crumbling. 4 key examples in the past 4 years.

2022 WCQ - Just needed to beat Ghana 2-1 at home. Managed a toothless 1-1 draw and lost on away goals.

2023 AFCON final - See out a 1-0 lead against CIV. We regressed and played our worst match that tourney.

2026 WCQ Playoff - We were outplayed for 120 mins but still didn’t have the composure to convert our kick.

2025 AFCON SF - Played our worst football of the tournament after looking like the team to beat up till the QFs. Again, no composure to convert our kicks.

There’s a mentality issue we have to address.

17 semi-finals, 8 final appearances, 3 titles. Not good enough, simple.

i agree we didn’t play well, but this your “worst football” dey sound like Morocco played us the way we played Algeria and Mozambique

Games like yesterday is where we needed the individual brilliance of Lookman…just cut in and wipe shot..forget teamwork abeg

minfelix:
one of these guys will score after that Morocco miss to give us a 2-1 advantage

Make we talk through 😂 Lookman and osihmen no get liver for pks remember a penalty miss was the beginning of lookman’s problems at Atalanta.

But it’s time to step up if they are still in the national team. We can’t continue like this