How Absentees Affected Eagles Against Lesotho, Zimbabwe

November 22, 2023

Before Nigeria’s two ill-fated 2026 World Cup qualifying matches against Lesotho and Zimbabwe, it was reported that striker Victor Osimhen, Samuel Chukwueze and Wilfred Ndidi would not be available for the games due to injuries.

There were also reports that Nigeria’s opponents were sort of relieved to know those players would be missing, but their absence was nothing to worry Nigerians against teams ranked 135th and 125th in the world respectively.

To the amazement of Nigerians, Lesotho and Zimbabwe forced Nigeria to 1-1 draws in both games, exposing the Eagles’ creative inadequacies even while Jose Peseiro claimed they dominated both matches.

So, how did the absence of these players affect the team?

In the absence of Osimhen, who is recovering from a hamstring injury he picked up last month against Saudi Arabia, it was down on Taiwo Awoniyi to lead the Super Eagles attack with support from in-form Bayer Leverkusen man Victor Boniface.

But rather than make Nigerians forget that Osimhen was absent, Awoniyi didn’t come to the party and his appearance was marred with a supposed tap in miss which was likened to Yakubu Aiyegbeni’s 2010 World Cup against South Korea.

The Nottingham Forest man would later withdraw from the squad with a groin problem, leaving another in-form man, Terem Moffi and Sadiq Umar as the available options for Peseiro.

In the second game, Peseiro went for the obvious option of Moffi but surprisingly handed new man, Nathan Tella a start on his national team debut.

Awoniyi (4) and Moffi (3) have seven league goals between them this season, but neither managed to register a goal in both games.

Beyond the strikers who fired blanks in the absence of Osimhen, the inability of Boniface and Tella to muster something also speaks volumes about finding the partnership that works upfront, just as Ademola Lookman’s failure to impress also means Chukwueze, who has been wasteful for the country in recent games might just have provided some incisive runs if he was available.

Nigerian went into both games without its most in-form midfielder, Ndidi. But for a long time, the fans have asked for a full audition for Brentford man Frank Onyeka whom they feel could step up to the plate.Like Alex Iwobi, Onyeka did enough to keep his starting shirt in both games, but the act of mustering something out of the blues which Ndidi is known for was missing.

The injured Leicester City man’s game is usually characterized by breaking play, long-range passes and shooting. And if given the room to burst forward, he has proven to be clinical in front of goal as well. Maybe as a result of sticking to the basics, none of those involved in both games offered something close.

Nigeria’s defence line was hardly threatened in both games but they conceded one goal each which was enough damage.

Except for Calvin Bassey and Semi Ajayi in the heart of the defence, Peseiro tweaked his full-backs in both games, looking for the perfect options to solidify the back and also helping the team while going forward.

Jamilu Collins and Bright Osayi-Samuel were preferred for Lesotho while Ola Aina and Bruno Onyeamechi started against Zimbabwe. All of these players offered what Peseiro was looking for effortlessly but they couldn’t execute it during the two games.

Then it is safe to say that what’s missing at the back is the perfect selection, which will suit the style of those upfront.

Nigeria’s goalkeeping problem is no longer news. Game after game, it becomes more apparent that Francis Uzoho lacks confidence while Peseiro has not summoned the courage to drop him.

Aside from Uzoho, there were two options on the bench in Ojo Olorunleke and Amas Obasogie but it’s hard to tell how much competition they were for him.

In terms of competition, Maduka Okoye who withdrew from the games and Adebayo Adeleye might have offered that at least. But Okoye, who is adjudged to even be better than Uzoho has now failed to honour another national call even as he struggles to get a starting shirt at his club, Udinese.

For Adeleye, he was an instant favourite when he featured against Sierra Leone in the penultimate game of the 2023 AFCON qualifiers, but due to non-league activities in Israel, he doesn’t merit a call-up at the moment. Before the league in Israel was halted, he had been the most active Nigerian goalkeeper abroad.

By the time a bold call is made on who mans the sticks for Nigeria, hopefully, the current problems of Uzoho will not pile pressure on the anointed keeper.

Written by: Kevin Nwabueze

Against Lesotho Eagles How Absentees Affected