Did anybody see Yobo during the celebration parry on the pitch Who said He had travelled??

BIG CONGRATS TO THE SUPER EAGLES. You have done us proud and we still have faith in you that you can bring this cup no matter what dreams some NLs are dreaming or whatever anybody may be saying or writing. A win is a win any day any time. Even if we score with the "hand of God". At least, we have established our supremacy over Zambia tonight.
MORE GREASE TO YOUR ELBOWS BOYS!

@ Ibime,

General Danny Shittu is Man of the Match. Best Nigerian defender since Uche Okechukwu.

I totally agree with you. Shittu has a simple philosophy in defence and that is "back to sender". But he should cut down on his incursions down field. If you watch closely, you will see him at the opponent's 18 yard box for free kicks and corners. I hope he has somebody covering him for such incursions.

@ Doyin13

How can someone pick Mohammed Yusuf for MOTM. . . .

The whole lot of them were useless.

THREE DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDERS ON THE PITCH YET
THEY LOOK AS VULNERABLE AS WILDEBEESTS.

I have never seen such tactical ineptitude in all my life.

And insisting on playing Mikel as an attacking option must
be the worst form of group think I have ever seen in my life.
As bad as Domenech's for france.

The thing tire me.

Are you blind ? Cant you see Yusuf Mohamed clearing goals that would have entered the net on two ocassions. An enemy of Amodu .
The man Amodu has tried, defeating all the Oyinbo coaches who are after his job, inluding Zambia coach who could not win a team that is reduced to ten men.

sleep no come again o!

Congratulations guys but these boys are mediocre.

It is a stolen victory but i remembered Maroc "88 well well.

Was very worried after the match because big brother was posted to Zambia for the past few months on assignment but a few minutes call have sort me out.

Ghana is another useless team. Its 50-50.

Good night folks

@hammer
go chop beans

doyin13:

It is because of viewing public like this we have Amodu as coach.

Echejile and Yusuf provided no width at all throughout the match.
They were thoroughly outplayed by their opposites.

SHINE YOUR EYE BRUV.

Be looking for width,our case is a classic example of how to manage an already bad situation and the wing backs plus the central defender came good,despite the numerous runs the Zambians made at them
How many of those runs resulted in goals or did you close your eyes when Yusuf made two goal-line clearances or the numerous times Echijile came in with timely tackles
Let's complain less and give the good performers credit as I'm sure we would have lost by no less than 2-0 if Taiwo and Yobo were on the field

Patriotism is such a bi.tch,despite my misgivings about the team,the handlers,NFF,Sports ministry,Yar Adua etc,I can't help it,I'm actually relieved we are through to the semis

Football Clinic:

Angola Vs. Ghana
Angola had more possession, Ghana won


Algeria Vs. CIV
CIV dominated, Algeria won

Cameroon Vs. Egypt
Over 20 corners for Cameroon, 4 corners do not make a goal

Zambia Vs 10 Nigerians in injury time
Nigeria wins

2006 WC Final
France Vs Italy
Italy wins

1994
Nigeria Vs 10 man Italy
Italy wins

This is not figure skating, style counts for nothing. Our two top strikers are recovering from injury, our original defence was out of form. We have not found a creative midfielder that have adapted to African football. As we have found out with Taiye, Uche has problems against African opponents.

This is a little under the best we can get in the circumstances. Anyone who claims that Ghana and Algeria are playing more attractive Football is not serious.

We criticized the team and the federation football management but still after Clemens westerhof Amodu is the best coach Nigeria has ever had. This man even though might make mistakes but has great luck following him.

He should be allowed to take that luck to D world cup and also alowed to choose his team.



No more pointing hand and also getting angry lets now support dis team with every strength we have and with our support they will make us proud.

Of course the semi final is our birth right,just like the bronze. . .init? So why is anyone surprised we won  

That said,why it is easy to castigate the whole team,i think a stand out performance by Enyeama and Shittu saw us through.The midfield was so static until the introduction of Ayila.I am still at sea over why we can't have a Etuhu/Ayila,Mikel and Kalu midfield. With that i think there will be fluidity as against the slow what obtains with these present personnels.

And why do we still use Yakubu as a striker when it's obvious he's gat the mind of a slow-poke.Martins' pace is at least enough to give defenders worries while all Yak does is "model"on the field  

Nice victory guys but it is not uhuru yet.  

Rasputtin,
Why on earth are you appraising the efforts of those full backs with little effort going forward and poor first touch.

True talk.  Upon all the yabis, this country full my veins oh.  Nah original disease.  

See as grown man like me dey shake like fowl wey catch cold when penalties start.

rasputinn:

Patriotism is such a bi.tch,despite my misgivings about the team,the handlers,NFF,Sports ministry,Yar Adua etc,I can't help it,I'm actually relieved we are through to the semis

the most bullshjt match iv ever watch, how can u play penalty wit zambia

SuperPap:

how can u play penalty wit zambia

By playing the entire 120 minutes plus added time without a goal in a knock out phase like today

Oh my word!, am just waking up cos during the match i tested my BP it was 200/90!, na im i run go sleep b4 i kpeme!, on waking up i saw the post Nigeria VS Ghana, oh my word as those commentators use to say!, i would ve prefared Zambia to beat Nigera than for we to face Ghana U20 team to beat us!, remember it was the Ghanians at Ghana2000 that renamed the super eagles as super chickens, after they with one man down and a goal down still came back to flog us, what do you think?[size=20pt]

toni tone:

Oh my word!, am just waking up cos during the match i tested my BP it was 200/90!, na im i run go sleep b4 i kpeme!, on waking up i saw the post Nigeria VS Ghana, oh my word as those commentators use to say!, i would ve prefared Zambia to beat Nigera than for we to face Ghana U20 team to beat us!, remember it was the Ghanians at Ghana2000 that renamed the super eagles as super chickens, after they with one man down and a goal down still came back to flog us, what do you think?[size=20pt]

i think eagles will raise up dere game ,

OUR PORTION> THE LORD WILL GIVE US.

http://www.cafonline.com/competition/african-cup-of-nations-angola_2010/trophy
Re: How can you play penalty with Zambia.
Dude,respect any team that get to that stage,a team that top her group. No small team again in football.

We may have been very creative in the match but we were very organised.

I think Amodu should continue to use the best resources he has regardless of which big name is on the bench.

I am not a fan of Amodu but if he continues like this maybe he has a credible argument to remain the coach and thats a big 'IF'.

Please let nobody keep Sani Kaita on the bench again, his positional sense and support for the back four is super.

Unfortunate for Onyekachi Apam and his red card because he also did well. Dani Shittu is also doing well.

Wat a very dull match. How many attempt on goals did we have. ordinary zambia chei!!!
Ghana will show us.

Nigeria did not deserve to win this game at all, Zambia hard luck wish ur formidable team better chance next time, Nigerian players pls shuld be sent to dere soo call club sites, We need home base players dis boys will play from there hearts. 9ja nothing is working.

Iyineda's SE players ratings:

Enyeama - 8

Yusuf - 6.5

Apam - 7 (regardless of the red card)

Shittu - 6.5

Echiejile - 6

Kaita - 4 (biggest disappointment! )

Etuhu - 4.5

Mikel - 6

Osaze - 6

Obasi - 4.5

Yakubu - 4
------------------------
Ayila - 6.5

Martins - 5.5

Nsofor - 5

Jeez! So many unpatriotic Nigerians on this forum. . . . . .seriously shey dem dey pay una? I just don't understand why a Nigerian would want Nigeria to lose. . . . . .there is a yoruba addage that says only a b.@s.ta@rd points at his fathers house with his left hand. . . . . .I mean the amount of negativity and bad-will most Nairalanders spew is enough to make the team lose. . . . . . . . .You'all who are unhappy we won and are making deragatory comments about the team & Amodu should go and kiss transformers and die. . . . . . .YES, I SAID IT. . . . . .you'all deserve to be tied to stakes and shot. . . . . . . .It wasn't a brilliant performance but it wasn't a bad one either. . . . . . . . .we defended resolutely and Kaita, Mikel and Etuhu battled very hard in midfield. . . . . . . .I'm glad, esctatic & happy we won. . . . .Omo 9ja ni mi, Eko lo bi mi si. . . . . .9ja ni mo ti bere ka A, B, C . . . . . .I've got 9ja blòod running through my veins and right now I'm the PROUDEST NIGERIAN ALIVE.

F.cuck all of you who think and opine that we didn't deserve to win. . . . .gbogbo yin le ma run down. . . . .Make I shak more bottles jare. . . . . .bunch of f.o.o.ls and imbeciles . . . . . .Aiyelala lo ma pa gbogbo yin

I hereby bestow on the following players the following titles
*Danny Shittu - Chief Defense Field Marshall
*Sanni Kaita - Battler General of Midfield
Special mention must be made of Yusuf Mohammed for keeping us in the game with his goal line clearances and Vincent Enyeama for his penalty saving & scoring heroics.

In short, the whole team with the exception of Yak 'Fat-Ass & Slow' Aiyegbeni did well.
I hereby dedicate 10 thunderous Gbosas to the victorious Super Eagles. . . . .GBOSA, GBOSA, GBOSA, GBOSA, GBOSA, GBOSA, GBOSA, GBOSA, GBOSA and GBOOOOSAAAAAA. Well done boys. . . . E no easy. . . . You'all have made me very proud. . . UP AMODU!

Thank God for Nigeria at last!

I had to do this. Otherwise, I would not be able to sleep tonight.
What we witnessed a few hours ago can be aptly termed the erasing
of Nigerian soccer history. For those of you guys not old enough to remember,
Nigera has a rich tradition of great teams that play beautiful football.

When we struggled to win, the fans were never left unentertained. We had great personalities
that knew how to communicate with the round leather under their feet .
We were not always lucky,hence, the dearth of trophies . But, we never lacked endeavour.

What we had paraded tonight, save for a few names, were a bunch of no- hopers.
The coach himself was the chief cretin. Someone shouted but he has brought us luck! My response to this would be
that he has brought us only agony. In the modern game of Football, there is now the concept of deserving to win a football match.
tonight we did not deserve to progress. Simples!!!
It is an understatement to say my heart was in my mouth. I was actually sick with fear. I dont know why because I gave up on this team once I saw the final list. No creative midfielders. Hence we lost the advantage of the 12th man! When we played with Okocha for instance, it was always 12 v 11 against any opposition! For me Rabiu Isiaku is an Okocha incarnate. He should have at least made this team.

Ayinla is useless. Etuhu is a joke. Mikel should play defensive midfield. He is too slow. Kalu uche should play all the games, because he is the only reliable attacking midfielder we have in the team. Martins with half a leg will always start.
Taye taiwo is a better goal threat and so will make my team before Echiejile. So the problem with Amodu is gross incompetence in team selection.
Enough said!

for all yee amodu haters, the end has justified the means.Kapish?

Some of us don't actually hate Amodu. We just don't rate him.

Yes we won etc etc. But the manner of the victory and in fact of all our performances in this Nation's Cup  was very disappointing. We basically SUCK! We more than SUCK! The only reason Zambia did not win is because they SUCK just as much as we do. They're equally bad, aimless, ambitionless in front of goal. And by the way, why should a team of our stature and football pedigree and World Cup qualification status struggle against Zambia whose biggest ambition was to make it past the group stage Moreover, why should we have been so happy to beat common Benin Republic 1-0 We've lost to the only serious challenge we've met (who by the way are not even going to the World Cup) and yet people here seem to be content. Why are we so very happy to accept mediocrity

Quite frankly, we have not played well as a team in the longest time and particularly in this Nation's Cup. Why bring all these players struggling with fitness? Are these the only Nigerian players in the universe What about our youth teams (e.g. Nigeria 09 peeps) or our local league teams, why not bring a few attack-minded players from there? Why do we keep trotting out the same old cargo who can barely run (Yakubu, I mean you), barely complete a pass (I mean everybody), or who just come to be spectators (yes, Kanu, you!). Playing for the national team should be a privilege not a right, but it appears that some people's names are invariably on the list whether they're fit and in form or not.

As far as the Amodu debate. . . <sighs> He must go. Maybe the pressure is too much for him, I don't know. But I am convinced his lack of ambition and general mediocrity is rubbing off on the rest of the team. (I mean someone who was telling Nigerians in advance not to "expect too much" at Nations Cup  If we can't have high ambitions for Nation's Cup, is it World Cup, we should be ambitious about) But I don't think its an issue of foreign coach vs. local coach (which is what the discourse always turns into), it's an issue of coach with tactical and technical knowledge and leadership vs. one without. I like Eguavoen and Keshi and even SiaSia and would take them a million times over the "Nigerian Berty Vogts" (i.e. Amodu). I'm not too into the foreign coach mentality because quite frankly most of the foreign coaches we've attracted have been pretty much rubbish and besides, I'm not sure what the color of skin has to do with good football! Watching us play in this competition, it looks like there's no technical background, no plan, just a bunch of players on a field playing whatever they like at any given moment. We need a coach that is a technical advisor and/or a master tactician, who is also a strong character that can stand up to the NFF. We play like a team without a plan. Like the only time the players actually play together is on the actual match day at the match (as in it seems like there's no five-a-side in training or no tactical or technical work). I mean some of the team selections!!! You can just see the places where we're wretched and yet Amodu will sit down and just stare impassively at the field before making some absolutely random changes. I mean its amazing. It's like all our team is running on is luck and a prayer. There is nothing technical, nothing planned. It is so strange at this level.

However, what makes me the most unhappy about our manner of victory is that the team will have the audacity to pat itself on the back and think they've done a good job. There's nothing to be proud of in only managing to beat Zambia after penalties. I just wish someone could tell the team and the players that look, we thank God we made it, but we are not good and you are not doing well, you have two days to work and plan, get to it. But I'm sure they're all happy in the mediocre way we just think the end justifies the means. I'm not even saying oh we have to be excellent or even just good, or even just average, but please must we be so actively bad and below par and just plain painful to watch The way we play, quite frankly there's no other way to describe it apart from AWFUL! The high point of the 120 minutes was that they eventually ended and ok the penalties after, but other than that. . . This strange passing game that we've decided to adopt when nobody in the team is a particularly good passer of the ball is ridiculous and makes us look even more foolish than our aimless play and general lack of ambition on the field. Even those that start of the matches enthusiastically (i.e. Osaze and maybe Mikel) soon give up because there's no point, the rest of the team either seems disinterested, hapless, or just plain lost. We have no sense of urgency and there's no passion and these are things that are needed urgently for any successful team.

Anyway (a quiet) congratulations to all us Super Eagles fans.