Nigeria's preference for doing things the hard way will be
greatly tested in Pointe-Noire. Do the Super Eagles have it in
them to surmount the odds?
A month ago, it all looked so different for the Republic of
Congo . The Red Devils were top of Group A and cruising as
they headed into their double-header against South Africa. A
win over defending champions Nigeria had made the world sit
up and take notice; it was a big leap from fortunate no-
hopers to group leaders.
Perhaps it was too big.
One point from two games against South Africa has seen
Claude Le Roy’s men cede top spot, and their five-point lead
over the Super Eagles has been whittled down to three.
However, it cannot be discounted that Congo still have their
own destiny in their hands.
If they avoid defeat in Pointe-Noire on the 15th of November,
they effectively eliminate Nigeria from the 2015 Africa Cup of
Nations, having gotten four points (at least) from both legs
against the Super Eagles.
The onus then is on Nigeria to chase victory. Congo travel to
Sudan on the final matchday, and a win for them there would
get them to 10 points, level with the Super Eagles (in the
event of wins over Congo and South Africa). What this means
is that Nigeria must win in Pointe-Noire by a two-goal
margin at least to tie the goal difference in both the home and
away legs, paving the way for qualification by virtue of goals
scored.
If it sounds like tricky business, that’s because it is. While a
defence that was breached twice by South Africa (who, lest
we forget, are yet to score at home) is clearly not bursting
with quality, defensive organisation is a lot easier to coach. A
veteran like Le Roy knows this, as the performance of his
charges in Calabar proves.
Then, Congo were organised and disciplined, their strategy
simply to break up play in the middle of the park and play
around the fine movement of Fode Dore upfront. Tormentor-
in-chief on that night Thievy Bifouma, whose brace delivered
a famous victory, was on target for Almeria over the weekend
against Barcelona; apparently he still knows the way to goal.
At the other end, the presence of Delvin Ndinga, who missed
the Calabar leg through injury, gives the Red Devils greater
composure in midfield and defensive leadership.
While Nigeria are condemned to win, it is paramount that they
do not attack with the same recklessness that characterized
the first half of Sudan at home. Nothing emboldens a
defensive side than a lead to hold on to, and the full-backs
must resist the temptation to bomb forward early.
Can Elderson curb his attacking instincts against the
Congolese?
Make no mistakes about it, Le Roy’s men have it in them to
do some real damage. They may have lost at home to South
Africa, but Bafana Bafana put up a massive rearguard action,
marshalled by the late Senzo Meyiwa, to keep them at bay.
It is important to highlight this because there seems to be a
lack of appreciation for the enormity of the hurdle Keshi and
his men are up against. Nigeria certainly has the potential to
overcome Congo, but it is by no means fait accompli. Lest we
forget, the 'Calamity in Calabar' was no smash-and-grab.
Congo were fully deserving on the night, and anything less
than 100 per cent will not be enough.
The task is made no easier by the fact that Pointe-Noire is an
artificial surface. The Super Eagles struggled greatly against
Sudan in Khartoum, and made a point of complaining about
how much the synthetic turf hurt their movement, as well as
ball trajectories. Surely, it must dawn on them now that there
is no more room for excuses, as Keshi himself pointed out in
imploring them to play the “African Way” – with grit, passion
and determination.
If last month’s victory over Sudan in Abuja marked a turning
point, now would be a good time to see it. For the first time in
the series, the Super Eagles played like something was on the
line and produced close to their normal level in that second
half. The key was having John Obi Mikel play a more
advanced role, would the coaching crew consider this from
the start rather than as a tweak?
Hull City forward Sone Aluko also came on to very good effect
in the second half, but there seem to be doubts about his
fitness levels over 90 minutes both for club and country. If
added creativity is required, expect to see him introduced at
some point in the game.
No sympathy for the Big Boss if Nigeria lose in Pointe-Noire
This is yet another chance for the Big Boss to repair a
damaged reputation, and you can be sure he feels the
pressure as well. The presidential decision to have him see
through the qualifying series simply adds to it: muck it up
now, and there is no higher authority capable of keeping him
in a job.
It will also see his stock fall farther in the eyes of potential
employees, so ultimately this is as much about the Big Boss’s
future as it is the Super Eagles’ chances.
Crunch time it is, and the stakes could not be higher. Nigeria
has always been able to up the ante when the chips are
down; that really is not the sort of thing one would usually
bank on, but it would not be very Nigerian to do it the easy
way, would it?