The Super Eagles are through to the World Cup Second Round for the first time in 16 years, but lingering issues remain unresolved.
ANALYSIS
By Solace Chukwu
Stephen Keshi made history on Wednesday afternoon.
By virtue of Bosnia-Herzegovina’s first-ever win in their maiden World Cup appearance, the Super Eagles qualified for the Second Round of the Mundial for the first time in 16 years. This was despite a 3-2 loss to group winners Argentina in Porto Alegre.
It seems now to have been a fait accompli, but elimination was a very real threat for Nigeria. All it would have taken is identical one-nil wins for both Argentina and Iran to see the African and Asian sides turn to the drawing of lots.
So perhaps credit should go to Bosnia as well, who acquitted themselves honourably in victory over Iran. The fact that their result had such a bearing on proceedings at Estadio Beira-Rio meant things got going very quickly.
It took Lionel Messi three minutes to open the scoring and overcome his nemesis Vincent Enyeama; firing high into the roof of the net after the ball went loose in the box. Four years ago, la Pulga was thwarted time and again; this time he made assurance doubly sure. The fact that Efe Ambrose was inappropriately narrow when the ball found Marcos Rojo in space on the edge of the box is a consideration that this writer has touched on before.
Straight away, Ahmed Musa drew the team level, underlining his importance to the team. The CSKA Moscow man has struggled with his end product, but delivered in a major way here. His brace took him level with Emmanuel Emenike and Daniel Amokachi as Nigeria’s leading scorer in World Cups.
Musa | Realising four years of promise
Sandwiched between Musa’s coming-of-age tale was a virtuoso performance from Messi, who was simply unplayable. Dropping deep, receiving the ball, picking up speed and flying past the Super Eagles midfield. His free kick was perfectly dispatched, but he had served ample warning for Nigeria’s persistent fouling in midfield.
The main culprit was Ogenyi Onazi, who once again had to cover a tremendous amount of ground.
As one no.10 shone, the other simply drifted. John Obi Mikel contrived to serve up the most insipid and disinterested display you are likely to see in this World Cup.
Before this game, there was a case to be made for Mikel to be dropped and Ramon Azeez to be tried out in the role alongside Onazi. In many ways, this was an opportunity missed. The Chelsea man, allied to his clear lack of match-sharpness, is now a victim of the same complacency that has seen Victor Moses consigned to the bench. Whether or not Keshi will have the gumption to drop Mikel remains to be seen, but surely this game would have been a better time to do it than in the Second Round.
It is clear that Keshi wants his team to play with pace and power. What is not clear is how this incarnation of Mikel fits into that plan. Slow on and off the ball, and too easily outmuscled, the game simply passed him by. Ask yourself: when was the last time Mikel had a really good game for the Super Eagles? Chances are you will wind up at the Confederations Cup twelve months ago.
Mikel | Familiar Failings...
There is a sense that the only claim Mikel has to the affection he commands from the Nigerian faithful is the nostalgic recollection of 2005. That year, Mikel dazzled with the U-20s as the creative lynchpin of the Flying Eagles, and was unlucky in defeat to Argentina in the World Youth Championships final in the Netherlands. A certain Lionel Messi only just pipped him to the Golden Ball. Nine years on, the gulf between them could not be starker. As Messi sped past Mikel time and again, it was a sad reminder of the how large the gulf between them has become.
Perhaps it is time to simply cut our losses and accept that Mikel is a myth, a creation of our aggregated desires. We want him to be our inspiration and figurehead, just like Messi is for Argentina. He cannot even keep up with his opposite number on a football pitch.
This game also continued a trend. Six of the seven goals the Albiceleste have managed against Nigeria in World Cups have come from set-piece situations. The opener today was the first from open play. It seems almost perverse repeating the same errors: the same cynical fouling that led to Claudio Caniggia’s brace in the USA 20 years ago punished the Super Eagles here, as Messi curled home over the wall minutes before the interval.
Of course the fouls were an effect, the cause of which was the midfield’s inclination to press high. An admirable strategy, but in order for it to work there must be compactness between the lines. This is why the inclusion of Joseph Yobo is more problematic than most realise. He prevents the defensive line from pushing up to minimise spaces in front because of his lack of pace. The result was that Messi and Angel di Maria always found space to move into, and had to be curtailed by fouling.
Just like the previous game, Nigeria played well without solving its biggest problem. Qualification has been achieved, and Keshi becomes the first indigenous African coach to take an African team to the World Cup last 16.
The prospect of a trip to the capital Brasilia to play France awaits. Les Bleus are in rude health at the moment, for once devoid of rancour and in-fighting. Surely we cannot have a repeat of the gaping spaces between the defence and midfield, as well as our no.10 phoning in performances. The Big Boss has work to do, and must make it a priority to restore Godfrey Oboabona to the heart of the defence.
The French may not have Messi, but they do have a more functional, cohesive unit, and that is much harder to stop. Argentina have been nothing special, but they can call on the genius of their no.10 to get them out of tight spots.
If only the Super Eagles could do the same.
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