₦airaland Forum

lbrichman2:
Yes he did
Gave the ball away a few times
But he's appreciated because we all saw how he was trying to get the team going with his runs..

Fredrick, Nwaiwu and Bruno are the other defenders who can run with the ball like that..
Aina and Osayi too..

That's what we needed our midfield and wingers to do..
Hold the ball, beat the press, run at their defence sometimes

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

Dude understand the mentality for big games

lbrichman2:
The referee even helped us sef
That other ball that hit the crossbar, the ball even crossed the line sef
That was a clean goal
Baba just throway face
😃😃

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

Exactly..

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

Yeah Chief, I've seen that now

Pls i need honest input,Osimehn is clubbing everyday in Lagos,and no injury....also Lookman too,though he is not visible on social media.

Odunayaw:
I was close to throwing my phone

What happened to there, they throw it away or what


I slept off while waiting for second half to start, no thanks to the rain

Kog45:
Pls i need honest input,Osimehn is clubbing everyday in Lagos,and no injury....also Lookman too,though he is not visible on social media.

I am a strong osimhen fan. Honestly the solution to this is to find a perfect replacement. His attitude is not pretty. This game actually needed him.

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

Leave that Man, na only him Sabi ball

Kog45:
Pls i need honest input,Osimehn is clubbing everyday in Lagos,and no injury....also Lookman too,though he is not visible on social media.

Nobody not even the coach cited injury for Osimhen Absences, the word he used was and I repeat Transfer,
.so sah where injury take enter the equation is what I don't know

Kog45:
Pls i need honest input,Osimehn is clubbing everyday in Lagos,and no injury....also Lookman too,though he is not visible on social media.

Realistically,Osimhen & Lookman should be preparing to play 2026 world cup matches and NOT playing canon fodder matches before the tournament.

do4luv14:
What happened to there, they throw it away or what


I slept off while waiting for second half to start, no thanks to the rain

Chuks lost the ball to that defender.

Ojagun:
Realistically,Osimhen & Lookman should be preparing to play 2026 world cup matches and NOT playing canon fodder matches before the tournament.

Like they're not part of the reason why they are not at the world cup

Amedino99:
Of course, okonkwo who faced a total of 2 shots against zimbabwe and 0 shot against jamaica would have fared better for us against portugal than Okoye who faced 7 shots on target against 5th rated Portugal.

When was the last time Okoye kept a clean sheet for the SE.

He keeps conceding cheap goals.

Recall our AFCON21 R16 exit against Tunisia.

The only ball directed at him all game, he couldn't save it.

Nwabali would have gotten us to the semi-finals of that same tournament.

Especially that lookman. He is mostly given a pass because of his club situation then but it wont erase the fact that he was left wanting when needed in the early part of the qualifiers.

Odunayaw:
Like they're not part of the reason why they are not at the world cup

Clint02:
Just look at this bro.

Honestly the thing vex me..I was expecting and preparing to shout goal, only to see the nonsense he played.
Last time, it was the chewing gum and missed penalty (which we still dey defend say na mistake), but see another one now...
Rubbish
Seems he is tired of playing in SE

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...

7.CB.We have enough talents waiting to explode,talking about Ogbu,Nwaiwu and Fernadez

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

lbrichman2:
We did well in that regard, yes
But truthfully, the respectable score line was majorly because Ronaldo missed like 3-4 clear cut opportunities he would usually score..
Make we no lie, the scoreline flattered us
But somehow we didn't fold, we kept trying to do something in the game, we stayed positive..
But the difference in quality was too much to overcome

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.

Ojagun:
Realistically,Osimhen & Lookman should be preparing to play 2026 world cup matches and NOT playing canon fodder matches before the tournament.

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.

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...

Cristiano Ronaldo just participated in a canon fodder match because he is getting ready to play matches at the 2026 football world cup tournament

Chuks4041:
I am a strong osimhen fan. Honestly the solution to this is to find a perfect replacement. His attitude is not pretty. This game actually needed him.

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.

Nwabali under no sign of pressure dropped a ball from a corner that made us draw against lesotho in the wcq. Nobody is holding it against his head. Okonkwo played 2 games facing a total of 2 shots on target against zimbabwe and none against jamiaca yet you felt he was more worthy of facing portugal than Okoye. Just say you dont like the guy and get it over with. Nwabali's first two games for us saw him concede 6 goals; two against guinea and 4 against mexico. Nwabali is good for us but lets not act as if our defenders didn't play a major role in our runs in the two afcons

EEGA:
When was the last time Okoye kept a clean sheet for the SE.

He keeps conceding cheap goals.

Recall our AFCON21 R16 exit against Tunisia.

The only ball directed at him all game, he couldn't save it.

Nwabali would have gotten us to the semi-finals of that same tournament.

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

With a full Nigerian squad (taking out washed players like Simon, Zaidu and Ajayi etc) the odds of us losing to them are significantly slimmer so a draw would be high on the stakes, so yes I will stake my bet on a slim perhaps lucky Nigerian win in a competitive game. Note that only two teams in Africa can manage to beat this Portugal team right now...Morocco and maybe Ivory Coast (I don't trust Senegal).

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.

Really wont take it that serious. We beat argentina in friendlies and falter in the world cup when it matters.

SymphonyRad:
With a full Nigerian squad (taking out washed players like Simon, Zaidu and Ajayi etc) the odds of us losing to them are significantly slimmer so a draw would be high on the stakes, so yes I will stake my bet on a slim perhaps lucky Nigerian win in a competitive game. Note that only two teams in Africa can manage to beat this Portugal team right now...Morocco and maybe Ivory Coast (I don't trust Senegal).

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 our 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 controlling his box area so his defenders will try harder to prevent shots on his 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 do 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.

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

YES, call me a delusional mad man but YES I would.

Amedino99:
Nwabali under no sign of pressure dropped a ball from a corner that made us draw against lesotho in the wcq. Nobody is holding it against his head. Okonkwo played 2 games facing a total of 2 shots on target against zimbabwe and none against jamiaca yet you felt he was more worthy of facing portugal than Okoye. Just say you dont like the guy and get it over with. Nwabali's first two games for us saw him concede 6 goals; two against guinea and 4 against mexico. Nwabali is good for us but lets not act as if our defenders didn't play a major role in our runs in the two afcons

We didn't draw Lesotho in that match
We won 2 - 1

My brother I weak.

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

lbrichman2:
Even me that's not a professional, I know to just pass the ball in front of the defender for Moffi to run to and be one on one with the keeper

Chukwueze is too frustrating and hasn't grown over the years

chrisooblog:
My brother I weak.

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

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

Odunayaw:
Like they're not part of the reason why they are not at the world cup

Never blame the followers for the inactions/failures of their leadership.For the past decade and a half,the NFF formerly the NFA,has been a calamity to Nigeria's football growth and development.The present NFF administration failed to qualify Nigeria for the world cup 2026.Instead of this to be a moment of self-reflection on how our football standards have dropped,they organised fodder matches with so-called big teams and super eagles supporters are supposedly happy with these turn of events.Pathetic.

Or even check the ball with your right then pass to Moffi on your left but na dribble with top class defenders around you option he take.

Thankfully Azeez is around the corner so we don't have to manage his yeye play again.

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