You are here: HomeSportsSoccer2021 06 09Article 446248

Soccer News of Wednesday, 9 June 2021

Source: www.completesports.com

5 takeaways from Super Eagles' goalless draw with Cameroon

The Super Eagles The Super Eagles

For the second time in a space of four days, the Super Eagles played the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon in an international friendly game on Tuesday, June 8 2021, at the Wiener Neustadt Stadium in Austria. 

Completsports.com‘s Augustine Akhilomen highlights five significant lessons from the Nigeria game against the Indomitable Lions which ended goalless. They are the important factors that Super Eagles coach, Gernot Rohr, must work with ahead of the subsequent games.

Stability in Super Eagles defence without Troost-Ekong

For the first time in a long while, the Super Eagles defence played without the duo of William Troost-Ekong and Leon Balogun against an opposition. Troost-Ekong was missing due to an injury he copped in the first meeting against Cameroon last week Friday. In his absence, Chidozie Awaziem marshalled the defence superbly alongside, debutant, Valentine Ozornwafor to prevent the Cameroonians from making any serious threat.

It was as though the pair had been playing together for a very long time with the level of understanding between them. Good one for Awaziem and Ozornwafor.

Eagles still lack the ‘Killer’ passes

In the two games played against Cameroon in Austria, the Super Eagles midfielders failed to create any meaningful killer passes to set up the strikers.

In Austria, Alex Iwobi and Wilfred Ndidi didn’t seem to connect well in the midfield. No real creativity in the midfield.

Ndidi is known for his robust style of play which has been vital for the team. However, Super Eagles still need a creative player that will help the strikers to score goals.

Iheanacho, Onuachu partnership yet to gel

The partnership between Iheanacho and Onuachu seemed not to match as they both struggled to combine perfectly in the attack against the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon on Tuesday. It was the second time both players were paired by Super Eagles coach, Gernot Rohr and it appeared they were way apart compared to when the coach paired Osimhen and Iheanacho.

Time for Musa to play cameo roles

It was quite obvious that Super Eagles captain, Ahmed Musa’s effectiveness was totally missing against Cameroon. Known for his usual pace, and trickery, the Kano Pillars’ star failed to make any meaningful impact in that game, and it’s high time Rohr made him watch from the bench, then play cameo roles where necessary in subsequent games.

Rohr’s inability to utilise full substitutions

The purpose of an international friendly game is for the coach to access more players in a bid to ascertain their strengths and weaknesses ahead of future competitive games. However, Rohr remained thrifty with his substitution in the second game against Cameroon. It is high time the German tactician mastered how to fully utilize his substitutions in order to give other players opportunities to showcase what they can contribute to the team.