22 June 2009
Mixed reactions trailed the Super Eagles' goalless draw with Tunisia on Saturday evening, with sports enthusiasts expressing optimism on Nigeria's qualification for the 2010 World Cup finals.
The Nigerian side gained a valuable point from the Group B match played at the Nov. 7 Stadium in Rades to reduce the Carthage Eagles' advantage.
A cross-section of Nigerians who spoke to NAN after the match expressed satisfaction with the result, while many others said the Eagles should have grabbed the game's full points.
Mike Ndidi, an Abuja-based sports journalist, said the result had left the group wide open for the Super Eagles to return to contention in the race to the finals in South Africa.
"It was a good result, and it means the group is still open. When the Tunisians come here in September, we can then maul them to take the lead in the group and go on to qualify.
"But I must admit we didn't play well enough and were looking a bit not purposeful.
" Coach Shuaibu Amodu, however, deserves praise for being bold enough to take risks by pairing Joseph Yobo and Dele Adeleye in the central defence.
"The cautious approach to the game was good, not attacking too much in order not to lose our defence. It was a good tactical approach.
"But it would have been better for us if Ikechukwu Uche had clicked, or if the Tunisia-based Michael Eneramo had started so as to put a psychological fear into the Tunisians," he said.
Alhaji Niyi Sanuth, a Lagos-based sports enthusiast, agreed with Ndidi and praised Amodu for getting his strategies right.
"It was an okay match and we should praise the coach for getting his strategies right.
" In fact, that accounted for goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama not having much to do and the backline was not threatened throughout," he said.
Sanuth said the Eagles midfield did not do what was right to motivate the attackers into putting the Tunisians on the backfoot and get the crucial goal.
"Seyi Olofinjana was only able to mark, he couldn't pass and Mikel Obi was not passing well.
" Kalu Uche also didn't do well, and so the midfield was ineffective until Nwankwo Kanu came on.
"But we should have taken the bull by the horns by taking the game to the wings if not for Obinna Nsofor's injury.
" Utaka didn't click when he came on. However, I think the coaches just felt it was safer that way," he said.
Super Falcons' assistant coach Monsor Abdullahi noted that the tactical changes were responsible for the result.
He, however, expressed belief that the coaches still have to do more in subsequent matches.
"The Super Eagles still have a good chance of qualifying with this result and their chances are better now, especially as the Tunisians now have two away matches which they may not win.
"But the coaches should not see this as the end of it, they still have a lot of work to do in subsequent matches," he said.
However, Sunleye Solawumi-Olaleye, another sports journalist, pointed out that the team's tactics were dangerous and could have been counter-productive if the Tunisians had played better.
"It was not a good way of getting what you want. We went there to get a point and that could have been bad if the Tunisians had got a lucky break, and anything could have happened.
"We should have prepared for a change of tactics for the three points if the opportunity had come our way. But now, we have the advantage and it means we have the ticket within our grasp.
"It is now a matter of if we lose it, just like we had done before in the past," he said.
The Eagles, despite the draw, are still second on the Group B table with five points from three matches, two behind the Carthage Eagles of Tunisia who have seven points from three matches too.
Nigeria will host Tunisia in the next match on Sept. 6 in Abuja while on Oct. 10, the Tunisians will host Kenya.
Nigeria, on the same day, will host Mozambique.
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