PARIS OLYMPIC GAMES
Nigeria’s Super Eagles’ wings were clipped in Rwanda, and for the first time in the history of the team they have gone winless in five successive World Cup qualifying games.
The Nigerian team were held to a 1-1 draw by Zimbabwe in their second qualifying match after playing out the same score line in Uyo, Akwa-Ibom State, on Thursday against Lesotho.
The Zimbabwen national team, who have never qualified for the FIFA World Cup final, drew the first blood in the 26 minutes with a stupendous free kick from 30 yards, catching the Super Eagles goalkeeper Francis Uzoho flatfooted.
However, Kelechi Iheanacho restored parity in the 67-minute to tie the game 1-1.
Super Eagles are ranked 40th in the FIFA Men’s world eankings, while Zimbabwe and Lesotho are ranked 125 and 153 respectively.
Despite playing out a 4-4-2 formation which provides solid defensive line, the Super Eagles defence has been easily exploited by opponents with Nigeria conceding eight goals in their last six games.
The Super Eagles have also conceded from set peice in five of the their last six games, including the last two games against Lesotho and Zimbabwe.
Football enthusiasts have called for the immediate sack of the Super Eagles coach, Jose Pisero, for what they called the poor display of Super Eagles and for the team lacking identity or pattern.
@_AsiwajuLerry on X said: “I will never take Super Eagles seriously until Jose Peseiro is gone. That man cannot coach Nigeria to glory, I’m not sorry to say.”
Another X user @Omojuwa posted: “If you can’t beat Lesotho in Nigeria and can’t beat Zimbabwe on a neutral ground, who can you beat? Gibraltar will fancy their chances against Jose Peseiro’s team.
“This is the lowest the Super Eagles have ever fallen. We’ve always immediately recovered from mediocre results, we now look like it’s not just the results, we have a mediocre team living its reality.”
@ChampionsTv wrote: “It is very easy to blame Uzoho. I know he has his own shortcomings. But Nigeria failing to beat Lesotho and unable to score a goal in 45 mins against Zimbabwe is surely not the fault of the goalkeeper. Their is a problem with the system, we all can act blind to it and keep blaming Uzoho.”
Persecondnews recalls that former Super Eagles player and coach, Sunday Oliseh, had bemoaned the inability of Super Eagles to defeat Lesotho, describing the outcome of the games as a “shocker”.
He said: “Haba This nightmare go ever end? Woke up to this shocker this morning. Our homebased suppose dey beat Lesotho na! dem even first us score!!!! The painful part be say, no consequences for these national embarrassments sef!”
Jose Pisero record with the Super Eagles, since taking over in May 2022, has been far from impressive.
The has taken charge of 14 games winning six, drawing three, and lossing five games.
In his last job as Venezuela national team handler (February 2020- August 2021), he won only one game in 10 matches before he was shown the exit door.
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