Eagles’ World Cup place shaky

By Tosin Omojola - 30.03.2009

NOT YET CELEBRATION TIME...
Super Eagles players were unable to have
celebration time like this in their 2010 World
Cup qualifier against the Mambas of
Mozambique yesterday in Maputo.NIGERIA’S chances of picking a ticket to the 2010 World Cup slated for South Africa appears slim as the Super Eagles started the race on a shaky note having forced the Mambas of Mozambique to a goalless draw in Maputo in a Group B match on Sunday.

Like it happened in 2006 when the Super Eagles relied on matches involving other countries for qualification for the Germany 2006 World Cup which backfired, thus denying Nigeria participation in the World Cup, the country may have itself at the mercy of Tunisia to feature in South Africa next year.

The Tunisians, it would be noted, started their race on a sound note with a 2-1 away win over Kenya in Nairobi on Saturday, to assume leadership of the group.

Against the expectations of Nigerians who had hoped for a win over the Mozambicans, the Shaibu Amodu-led Eagles failed to soar high and were even lucky to have escaped defeat against their host who had two goals overruled by the referee.

Parading a hit squad of foreign-based players, the Eagles captained by Obinna Nwaneri did not show the bite expected of a team aspiring to book a World Cup ticket in the encounter watched by a very large crowd.

With players like Nwankwo Kanu, Yobo Joseph and Yakubu Aiyegbeni missing in action, Obafemi Martins, Ikechukwu Uche, Osaze Odemwingie, Sani Kaita, Mikel Obi, Danny Shittu, Taye Taiwo disappointed Nigerians with their lacklustre performnace against the South African country.

The major culprits were Obafemi and Uche who both squandered glaring chances that would have made the difference in the encounter.

In the first stanza, Obafemi threw away a golden opportunity when he had only the Mambas’ goalie to beat but failed to find the back of the net, just as Uche selfishly wasted another glaring chance, before Obafemi shot wide again in the second half after finding his way into the Mozambicans’ vital area.

The Eagles coaching crew did not help matters as wrong substitutions were made during the match, resulting in soccer watchers doubting the Amodu-led technical crew to see Nigeria through to the mundial.