let Goodjoe come and tell me of conservative something
The passes were crisp, especially long ones

I wonder how a goalkeeper can be so jittery

chrisooblog:
very talented footballer still a bit raw has to build his tactical( that word again lol) brain

Agreed

Super glue dey chuks boot because him let sabi gum ball

Ndidi has been voted Total's MOTM

But I have more on The Nigerian Flash

Dear Ighalo,
All the sins you committed at the World Cup are now forgiven.

Signed
Nigerians

Odunayaw:
let Goodjoe come and tell me of conservative something

The passes were crisp, especially long ones

Abeg no call good joe come here before he go begin post pep guardiola YouTube videos

To be honest...I tink we tried, d improvement in d team is glaring for us all to see, and let's not forget dis is a very young team DAT rohr has put together and Nigerian teams generally are slow starters, i believe dey would grow in confidence as d tournament progresses.d issue I see here is d goal keeping department, akpeyi did not inspire any form of confidence at all, always looking jittery...I won't b surprised to see him benched in d next match, all in all it was a good victory for d boys.

[quote author=jihday post=79582873][/quote]

I thought i was the only 1 that saw the 1 2 barca style pass .. Guy i almost release

oloriooko:

Thought I was the only one that saw it

Even if nobody saw it, you of course would. smh

AIG07:
Cc: Forgiveness

The gulf in gap is too much.

Nice try SFs

How I wish we can have a road map to achieving success at the World stage.

You mean those two lucky goals? I didn't see any gulf in the match except for some dirty tactics the Germans used to win the game.

Don't forget that 4 of our best players were not in that match and the injury during the match didn't help.

Joebie:
Comot sentiments. Etebo had a good game.
It wasn't Mikel's day

It will difficult to bench that guy. I would've liked him outwide but we have my boy Samu there.
You can't afford to leave out a player that possesses his stamina and workrate.

Curtisaxel7:
Ighalo and Musa have no business sitting on the bench. Onuachu's overall play has never impressed me at all, he's just a slightly improved version of Tijani.

Like I said before, I hope Rohr has a good reason why Ighalo didn't start today.

Upper cut

oloriooko:
Onuachu wouldn't have scored that Ighalo's goal that's for sure!

It just flashed through my mind, how Iheanacho would have coped trying to score that with his weaker foot.

I remember pointing out our keeping department and it is now occurring. If Akpeyi can avoid those silly moments and focus on basics then he can come good.
Nice passing and I am so glad. What is left is to create chances and score. Oh! Iwobi must never play on the wings.

Ola Aina,...

Aina has greatly improved. No more ball watching.

Excellent crosses nice combo with Musa and Omuero on the left.

2019 AFCON FINALS WATCH:

BREAKING: IGHALO HANDS SUPER EAGLES FIRST 2019 AFCON WIN



By: Jidechi Jesse.

Three time African champions, the Super Eagles of Nigeria started their campaign for a fourth title with a slim win over the Swallows of Burundi. A second half goal by substitute Odion Ighalo was all Gernot Rohr’s men needed for the first three points.



Super Eagles coach, Gernot Rohr announced his starting XI to face the Sparrows of Burundi in Nigeria’s AFCON 2019 opener, dropping Odion Ighalo, Francis Uzoho and Jamilu Collins for Paul Onuachi, Daniel Akpeyi and Ola Aina respectively in a 4-3-3 formation.




The Super Eagles opened their quest for a fourth AFCON title when they headed into the game with the debutants in the opening match of Group B, but where without Samuel Kalu for the encounter against the Swallows after the Bordeaux man collapsed in training on Friday..

#AFCON2019

@ourAfricanFooty
Odion Ighalo scores the first goal for Nigeria at against Burundi #AFCON2019
Watch that pass from Aina#NGABDI

The three-time African champions began the game comfortably, moving the ball around as they planned to pass out the back. Samuel Chukwueze and Alex Iwobi’s pace on the wings proved to be too much for the Burundi defenders to handle and Paul Onuachu got an attempt to score within the first 5 minutes.



While Nigeria were exciting in attack, they were a bit shaky in defence. Shehu Abdullahi was shaken off the ball twice very early in the first half and the Sparrows tried to exploit his wing. Ola Aina and Shehu Abdullahi were very good getting forward to help the Nigerians in attack but the entire defence looked shaky in defence when put under pressure.



The game sparked into life when Onuachu got a header on goal forcing the goalkeeper to make a strong save. Burundi replied immediately with their own shot just outside the six-yard box forcing Akpeyi to make a save at point-blank range.

Nigeria attempted to break the resolute defence of Burundi with a string of lovely passes with the front three of Iwobi, Onuachu, and Chukwueze linking up well with Mikel Obi in midfield. The Burundi defence held their own and limited the Nigerians to floating crosses from deep and wing positions.



Daniel Akpeyi gave Nigerian fans a scare when he fumbled a backpass to give the Burundians a corner. The Kaizer Chiefs shot-stopper was constantly put under pressure by Abdul Razak.



Nigeria continued to dominate the state of play with Ndidi and Etebo pulling the strings from midfield. Iwobi continued to create chances in the box after. Just before the half-hour mark, he brought down a cross from Aina and skillfully created space to pick out Chukwueze who could not hit the target.


Burundi was unable to create chances because of the dominant displays of the Nigerian midfielders and resorted to taking shots from long range and came very close as Nshimirimana’s header came off the corner of the post. Replay shows Akpeyi might have had a finger touch to it.

CAF
✔
@CAF_Online
FULL TIME | Nigeria - Burundi 1-0 #TotalAFCON2019 #NGABDI


The Super Eagles would end the first half with a forced substitution as Chidozie Awaziem went in for an injured Abdullahi Shehu as the right back got stretched off.


The second 45 minutes started brightly for Nigeria as Iwobi and Musa combined together with the latter’s square pass is intercepted by Nahimana in goal.


Next was Samuel Chukwueze, as the Villarreal youngster left a trail of four Burundians as he dribbled his way into the box but in the absence of any green shirt around, he chipped an effort over from just inside the box.


Glory would come for Rohr’s side as substitute Odion Ighalo put Nigeria in front moments after coming on for Paul Onuachu. A sublime back heeled pass by Ola Aina and an emphatic first time effort by the China based forward was all the Super Eagles needed to go ahead in the game.


The Super Eagles now move their attention to their second game against Guinea on Wednesday as the Burundians take on Madagascar at the Alexandria Stadium on Thursday.

http://www.dailyadvent.com/news_sports-soccer/2019/06/22/breaking-ighalo-hands-super-eagles-first-2019-afcon-win/

Why is nobody talking about Chukwueze's horror miss?. If it was Ighalo ....

As i was reading through...someone mentioned that Onuachu is higher grade of Tijani....please do not spoil my evening with that name.....

Onuachu has just started


Nonsense and Tijani

I think mikel should be used as a sub when the team is defending. Etebo has the agility and physicality that suits African football same goes to ndidi. Iwobi should be the teams number 10.

I believe Rohr have noticed all this and is gradually preparing for mikel imminent departure by keeping faith with ndidi and etebo for now. His main focus after the afcon if he is retained should be to search for Mikel replacement. Also the search for a decent goal keeper should be another priority

andrew444:


Mikel should replace etebo at the double pivot

Not that etebo didn't play well o

I don't think mikel will be benched

See the improvement in Ola Aina.. This is why our players should move to better leagues.

Great finish by Ighalo.

charlesemeka85:
I think mikel should be used as a sub when the team is defending. Etebo has the agility and physicality that suits African football same goes to ndidi. Iwobi should be the teams number 10.

I believe Rohr have noticed all this and is gradually preparing for mikel imminent departure by keeping faith with ndidi and etebo for now. His main focus after the afcon if he is retained should be to search for Mikel replacement. Also the search for a decent goal keeper should be another priority

I agree with you

I am just saying because I feel mikel can't be benched

Etebo na power player

He just needed to hit target at least. It's not like that was a very clear chance. He had an excellent game, but that miss.

Curtisaxel7:
Why is nobody talking about Chukwueze's horror miss?. If it was Ighalo ....

forgiveness:


You mean those two lucky goals? I didn't see any gulf in the match except for some dirty tactics the Germans used to win the game.

Don't forget that 4 of our best players were not in that match and the injury during the match didn't help.

Joined @ the stoppage time. Was told the 2goals came from set pieces and the other one was a mistake.

tbaba1234:
See the improvement in Ola Aina.. This is why our players should move to better leagues.

Great finish by Ighalo.

And some people prefer shehu abdulahi at the right back ? Na because of illness make aina go play left back if not that shehu abdulahi won't even start

Aina should continue playing left back and awaziem should continue at right back

Earthquake3:
I wonder how a goalkeeper can be so jittery

Weird, right? You'd think that save he made earlier on in the game would help calm his nerves but no, he looked uncomfortable most of the game.

Onuachu is good but was starved of balls from the flank and the midfield of which the link from the midfiels to attack which is mikel was the biggest culprit.

Onuach is a big threat to any defense and will be a handful if he is adequestly fed of the ball.

gamaliel9:
As i was reading through...someone mentioned that Onuachu is higher grade of Tijani....please do not spoil my evening with that name.....

Onuachu has just started


Nonsense and Tijani

Humility017:

okay...
IGHALO a striker previously made for the EPL and the Championship
now made for the Chinese league and africa football.

what do you think?

LOL

That's enough to get him respect

barackodam:



Even if nobody saw it, you of course would. smh

sentiments aside Ighalo was in an offside position when Aina placed the pass

andrew444:


And some people prefer shehu abdulahi at the right back ? Na because of illness make aina go play left back if not that shehu abdulahi won't even start

Aina should continue playing left back and awaziem should continue at right back

Awaziem doesn't offer much in attack though.

Rohr has som strong decisions to make in d middle of park, on wether to play iwobi as a no10, and revert Mikel to a CM and bench etebo who is full of running and adds steel to d middle