Nigeria’s U-23 Eagles lost 1-0 to Sudan in the first leg of their Africa U-23 Cup of Nations, final round , qualifying fixture at the Al Merreikh Stadium, Omdurman on Thursday night, reports Completesports.com.
The Eagles had a fair share of possession in the opening minutes but were let down by their prolifigacy in front of goal with Taiwo Amoniyi and Stephen Odey the worst culprits.
Sunday Faleye, Muyiwa Olabiran and Nda Olisa all tormented the Sudanese defence but their was nothing to show for their efforts.
Odey had the chance to put the visitors ahead in the 22nd minute but couldn’t convert from close range.
Nigeria had a penalty appeal turned down seven minutes before the break by the Djibouti referee after Awoniyi was brought down in the box.
The home team took the lead against the run of play just before half time.
Sudan nearly added the second goal two minutes after the break but for a brilliant save by Adamu Abubakar.
Sunusi Ibrahim replaced 20 minutes from time as the Eagles chased the equalising goal.
Nigeria piled more pressure on the hosts in the closing stages of the game with Fatai Gbadamosi and Sunday Adetunji replacing Faleye and Awoniyi respectively.
The hosts however stood firm and held to their slender advantage.
The reverse fixture will take place next week Tuesday at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba.
The overall winner will proceed to the Africa U-23 Cup of Nations to be hosted by Egypt in November.
By Adeboye Amosu
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29 Comments
I knew that this coach can’t win the game,he is the worst coach in Nigeria football history,
My brother sudan is always a hard nut for Nigeria in YOUTH level; especially at u20 & u23. last time Naija even won in Sudan 2017 u20 World cup but later fell at home in Lagos. Also am not precisely maybe 1991 0r 1993 Naija fell to Sudan in Nnamdi Azikiwe stadium Enugu with the likes of u20 Super Eagles stars namely Azubuike OLISEH; TIJANI brother, late younger brother from finidi george,kanu younger brother . The team was made up only with super eagles younger brothers. I can`t also dispute your reason, really i dont know how NFF pick their coaches. check out the likes of u2o coach likewise the u17 coach. he had a case of taking bribe from his lads last time. I thought by now Naija could have learnt serious lesson the way approach Matches against Sudan.
We all saw this coming.You left quality players and went for players who cannot guarantee victory how stupid!thank God a Nigerian is not the coach of the super eagles this is the kind of results we used to get before Rohr came to our safety yet some people are clamouring for indeginous coaches funny indeed.
Meanwhile,Awoniyi was toothless in our qualifiers against Libya in the first round yet he was invited to lead the line against Sudan alongside Odey who has played less than 30 mins of football this season.This coach is a joke.I know he will be scrambling for players to rescue him on tuesday like he did against Libya when this players are open to invitations but you were so dumb to invite this set of players toying with Nigerian Olympic football participation,I really can’t understand what you are trying to prove!
My brother nothing is working normal in the Country. This NFF and selection of National Coaches is a very big wahala.Check out after Aigbodun fumbled at U20 World cup ,he was still picked for the All African games. Kano Pillars upon all the allegations against them, During the league period and by super 6 tournament . wes till allowed to reppresent Naija at African Champions league. we are all aware how they fumbled . The last U20 team at Poland , one couldn`t believe that they are Nigerian players.
Gbam!
It is time you people should listen to me. Nothing will work under under Amaju again because he has betrayed his Country. I am not expecting anything from our national teams. I hate nobody that is the truth.
The simple solution to this problem is to flush the bad people out of their offices. Can we do that? No. Cabals do overthrow this government finish. Ire o. God bless Nigeria!!!
Only 8 players that were in the squad vs Libya were recalled (not counting the reinforcements called in for the second leg (Uzoho, Awaziem, Ozornwafor and Osimhen).
That Kelechi Nwakali (justified in my opinion), David Okereke, Dennis Bonaventure, Kingsley Michael, Kelechi John and Oremade were dropped unceremoniously, weakened the team. Of the foreign professionals that replaced them only Frank Onyeka (sub not used) brought in any real quality. Sunday Faleye (Austrian Bundesliga 2), Collins Nonso (Portuguese second division – only two matches), Stephen Odey (2 matches 29 minutes this season) did not improve the team/squad.
Blessing Olabemiran again did not do much to justify his being recalled.
Are we now going to repeat the drafting of osimhen, Chukwueze, Awaziem, Uzoho to rescue our Olympic qualification dream?
This is a classic example of failing to learn from our previous matches, a failure in continuity, under estimating our opponent and prioritizing an international friendly over a competitive match to qualify for the second biggest trophy in world football after the world cup
I was shocked when I saw the list of invitees for this match. How can you invite almost a completely different team from the one that featured in the previous round and expect cohesion, continuity? What is the coach thinking? Did he forget how we almost crashed out against Libya? We were just lucky that we were able to draft some Super Eagles boys because the two teams were camped in Warri. So are we now going to charter an emergency flight to Ukraine to bring the boys that should have been in this team? They just like taking things for granted.
This coach is thick!I think the NFF has to look for a foreign coach to thinker the under 23 should we scale through this hurdle.Imama has more surprise coming should we let him carry on as the gaffer.The players he invited are struggling at their various clubs,how can he explain inviting Faleye who is a bench warmer for an Austrian 2nd division club.Odey has played less than 30 mins of football all season likewise Awoniyi the result is there for everyone to see.
The likes of Okereke,Bonaventure,Awaziem,Maja,Ozonwafor and Kingsley Michael should have been in this squad to make it richer with quality and experience.I don’t know what is wrong with Nigerians always making bad calls nothing goes well with a Nigerian in the helms, it’s alarming and sad.
Compare these two team lists from the second match versus Libya to this one against Sudan
V Libya: Uzoho, Awaziem, Duru, Okechukwu, Ozornwafor, Etboy, Nwakali, Okonkwo, Chukwueze, Awoniyi (Okereke), Osimhen
V Sudan: Abubakar, Lazarus, Duru, Okechukwu, Manyo, Ndah, Faleye (Gbadamosi), Ndifreke, Olabimran (Sunusi), Awoniyi, Odey.
A distinct drop in quality of the squads, 10 players dropped, 8 retained and of the 8 retained a couple didn’t do anything to bathe themselves in glory and were replaced by better quality players: Awoniyi out, Okereke in (match 2), Olabimran out Bonaventure in (match 1)
I know we are not hapi about the result but blaming d coach in dis instance is uncalled for in my opinion, recalled what happened to eguavon when he over relied on foreign base players only for dia clubs not to release them, I know people will say this particular match fell in international free day so clubs can’t refuse to release dia players and i totally agree but what if it didnt fall in the international period and foreign clubs refuse to release players. Like someone said, we are toying with the Olympics and i completely fault GR in dis and the game against Ukraine is not as important as d Olympics so GR should have prosecuted this game with fringe players while our top guns (osimen, okereke, bournaventure, chukwueze etc) should have been allowed to prosecute this match. There are no guarantees that even with d our top guns we would have beaten Sudan. In my opinion I think the coach did well by not over relying on foreign based players thereby avoiding dsame mistake eguavon made. NFF should have told GR that our priority is d Olympics not d useless Ukraine match.
We are sometimes too quick to give our local coaches the stick (me included) but sometimes it’s not warranted. For instance, some people were saying bcos some foreign u17 were let go dat d coaches are correct, guys 4get matter, our local boys are better in my opinion. Someone also said that they would like to see the foreign guys play b4 they can judge, is it in Abuja where they are training that we will see them? We can only see those that made d cut in real tournament. The only mistake I think Manu made in d u17 afcon is not using dat Chelsea boy in d dead rubber game but I don’t think he was better than d guys Manu took but I can’t be certain as I was not there. Could he bench Abayomi, I don’t think so or ubani? Anyway my opinion only. sorry in advance if there are typos
Mind you the coach had five (5) Europe based professionals in the starting line up against Sudan and one on the bench so it’s not a wholesomely home based squad as stated on your posts.He literally,picked the European based professionals hoping they will do the job based on his lean knowledge that’s as far as he can get.
I hope Awoniyi is dropped from that team he is not potent and having him to lead the line on tuesday could be regrettable.Osimhen and Okereke should be flown to Nigeria to spearhead the attack.That’s my opinion anyways.
The problem is, both Osimhen and Okereke will not have the time to train with the squad before the second leg. I cannot fathom how the coaches will prioritize a friendly over Olympic qualification.
There are a few glaring omissions in the foreign based callus. Chidera Ejuke who recently moved to Heerneveen and is lighting up their premier league after doing the same for Vaalerenga in Norway this season. Alhassan Yusuf of Gotenborg is producing team of the week performances week after week is another. Surely they are better than Olabimran and Faleye. Plus Frank Onyeka should have started ahead of Faleye also.
They are playing kalokalo and all Sudan have to do now is to score in Nigeria to make our job twice as hard. no doubt they will come to Nigeria to attack and get a goal
the super eagles coach did not invite okereke , he even did not invite dennis or okonkwo or even kingsley micheal so the under23 coach had them all to invite but did not so no need to blame moreover if he wanted to invite chukwueze he could have talked to the super eagles coach
@proudly 9ja, you don’t need rocket science to know that friendly matches are organised to try out players, Foreign clubs play loads of pre season games to see how good new player are. And that’s even going too far, you mentioned the dead rubber third place game like I did earlier. A game where all the other players in the striking position were failing to perform n despite also failing in the game prior to that and a so called sensible coach still couldn’t use that opportunity to try out Akande,haba.. Man, I can’t be fooled, these lots, our old generation home based coaches, Manu/ Ugbade inclusive are all a disgrace. Maybe the younger ones coming especially people like Finidi, Amunike, Oliseh, SEMITOJE, EMENALO etc who are well exposed haven been part of big teams outside the country may change things for us. Every time we complain of white coaches being biased towards our players by not playing them, calling them racists n all what sort. But at least these same white coaches play these our players in some games be it friendlies or pre season or lesser cup competition wherein we manage to see that the players are not that bad for them not to be playing regularly eg Isaac success, Iwobi, KELECHI, Balogun. So why did Manu refused to give Akande even a 15minutes. Come let’s stop decieving ourselves, yes Nigeria has n will always have talented kids but anyone making that very wrong conclusion that they are all better than all of these foreign born nigerian kids is nothing but deranged. These big clubs employing them have name to maintain n will never recruit low quality n also I have seen so many amazing talents amongst them live. Don’t allow yourself to be decieved by our local coaches, they know what they are doing. To hell with the team Manu n co are preparing, they can win a million times for all I care. Never me to watch n appreciate dishonesty.
Both Bonaventure and okereke were available before the coach released his list. Rohr only invited Bonaventure after he was ignored by the u23 handler
If the coach was trying to avoid what happened to Eguavoen, then what was the point in inviting the professionals to rescue the 2nd leg against Libya and then not invite them against Sudan? He should have kept faith with the home based. Furthermore, he shouldn’t have even invited a new set of foreign based for this Sudan match if his fear is the future availability of these players. Let’s see where that would land us.
My point is that he should be proactive. Always invite the best and start negotiating early with their clubs (directly or through the NFF) for the future release of these players for the U-23 Afcon and Olympics.
Dat was the 1st leg. Second leg will be hotter. Nff in sleepiness. Eagles will win but . Like I said d boys dat will put the ball in d net are in Ukraine . But means 2 : 1 . So nff wake up
7 out of the 11 in the photo above were not invited for this round. Imagine only 4 of the team that beat Libya 4:0 in the picture above were in the squad for Sudan
Okereke and Dennis were free.he did not invite them,till the last invitation of Dennis to the super eagles lists.so if I may say,why can’t the domestic league player win games and draw games without placing so much reliance on the foreign base.
Good question @Patrick.
Why can’t the home based win or draw games without foreign based players?
It is simple,
We don’t have a good league.
Our league clubs don’t even win or draw away at international tournaments?
It is all a mental thing.
The Nigerian league clubs is used to winning all their matches at home and losing away; because of the ‘win at home syndrome’.
So it is in built in most of the local based players that no matter what they do away,they can never get the win; so they soft paddle in their effort away,and hope to win at home.it is all psychological.it all starts in the mind.
It is not lack of quality,cause this boys transfer to better league abroad,and we can see their quality. It Is just the mindset.
And they are coached by local coaches who have no idea on how to build a strong psychology in their players.
We simply have a failed football system in Nigeria,and everything starts in the mind..
Because Nigeria sports and school administrators decided to abandon school sports/ grassroots development. In this case though fire brigade approach is hugely responsible for the poor results of the U23 team. We should stop blaming the limes of Awoniyi and Oday. We cannot say they are not talented enough , we know them, they are very talented players. It takes a team to win a match, individuals might have lucky breaks sometimes but a well prepared team will always get results. In regards to Nigerian coaches, I don’t agree that foreign coaches are better, when you are good, you are simply good whether foreign or indigenous . At least The late Shuabu Amodu for two World Cups and was denied the opportunity to lead his team to both World Cups because he was only able to win Bronze medals at the nation’s cup of 2002 and 2010 even after qualifying us for the World Cup of both years. Siasia, Late Stephen Keshi and Eguavoen all proved to be good at o e point or another.
@Frank Smith
You are right about the failure of our sports and school administrators who have failed to build from the grassroot; hoping that this talents developed,would come from somewhere other than themselves; passing the bulk of developing entirely to the player’s own personal aspirations.
But I have to digress on the issue that the foreign coach aren’t that better than our local coaches.
I totally believe they are professionally better than the local coaches.and the key word is ‘professionally’.
If we go by probability (as it relates to logic); the percentage of good foreign coaches outweighs what we produce down here.
Not because the number of foreign of coaches are more,but due to the fact that they simply better professional wise.
You can count the good (professional) Nigerian coaches in one finger,and two are dead.
The rest don’t understand what it takes to be professional.
They care more about their interest over work ethics.
They might be tactically better than their foreign counterpart but lack the charisma needed to maintain a high standard of professionalism on the job,thereby failing at the end.
I don’t believe in hiring based on the colour of your skin or where you are based or where you come from; I believe in your work ethics,character and at the long run,results.
That’s what matters.
So far,Many of our local coaches keep failing at one hurdle or the other,even if they start well with good results,they don’t even have the charisma to maintain such.and that’s the truth..
Till they change and start showing up.
Then we would keep going for this foreign coaches that knows their onions as it relates to building a good work environment and doing the job to get the results..
ONE OF THE WORST COACH WE HAVE IN NIGERIA IMANA HE HAS NOTHING IN HIS HEAD
SACK HIM
I PRAY WE LOST TO SUDAN NEXT WEEK SO THAT HIS WORK WILL END BUT IT WILL BE SAD THAT HE WILL KILL NIGERIA PLAYERS GREAT TARLENTED BOYS WE HAVE NOW
Its regrettable that some folks are trying to blame GR Rohr for taking players who delivered against Libya in the 2nd leg.
Permit me to chip in that GR Rohr initially invited Osimhen. He was shy on Dennis (whom he invited lately) in order to allow Imama make his choice.
The same folks crying ‘wolf’ now were the people that clamoured that GR extend invitation to the likes of Dennis, David, Maja & others.
My people, make una relax o!. You can never satisfy everyone.No matter what you do o!!
So neither GR Rohr nor the nff should be blamed…rather the u23 coach-Imama & the players that delivered a poor result should be held responsible. O werokwa uzo e si a-ga Onitsha di nfe.
Ya gazie!!
Above someone should help us name a tournament any Nigerian Team did well when the list of the players is shared according to where you come from Eastern Nigeria 3 players Northern Nigeria 4 players Western Nigeria 5 or 6 players weather you know how to play or not that’s our biggest problem with many local Coaches in today’s football if one mother one father can deliver the Nation let allow them to play and Deliver,but whenever the names on our lists sound unknown we always failed,you guys should by now understand the points am trying to make known here,we know few tribes of Nigeria that is highly gifted to trade more on football and has done well in our national teams yet our local coaches would always try to cut them off and invites his personal choices not the Choice of all Nigerians is a pity
Yemi Tella used more of SW boys to win Korea 2007
Manu Garba used more of N boys to win UAE 2013
Amunike used more of SE boys to win Chile 2015
Seb Imasuen used more of Bendel boys to win China 85
Musa Abdulahhi used more of Northern guys in Trinidad in 2001.
.
Lets cut this crap of “only one tribe is gifted enough” to suit up for our teams.
Talent is talent. And talent abounds all over the country.
The most talented and best of players should suit up for our teams…I dont care wat part of the country he/she comes from.
You can see from your post there’s tribalism in Nigeria and will always be.I bet if a northerner was the coach in 2015 we may not have great talents like Osimhen and Chukwueze vise versa.Every coach must take more players from his region to the world cup,i can’t understand the satisfaction or gains for doing so,end of the day your job is on the line and this players will move on not even having you in mind.Onigbinde took old Mutui and young inexperienced Opabunmi to the 2002 world cup to the amazement of everyone,who does that?the list is endless,the reason i am comfortable with a foreign manager than a local one.
Our loca coach