On Monday, November 19, 2024 the Super Eagles once again inflicted pain on their teeming supporters when they suffered an embarrassing 1-2 loss to the Amavubi of Rwanda in the final Group D match of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers.
Although the match was a dead rubber contest since the former African champions had already qualified for the next edition of the AFCON in Morocco, most Nigerian football fans wanted them to end the qualifiers with a splash.
Unfortunately, the NFF and the interim coach of the Super Eagles Austin Eguavoen had different ideas as they instead chose to waste the chance for Nigeria to confirm her supremacy over Rwanda and amass more points ahead of the next FIFA ranking of footballing nations in the world.
Of course, it would have been insensitive for anyone to insist that the number one goalkeeper, Stanley Nwabali, who had just lost his father should stay back, excusing the duo of ‘incoming’ African Footballer of the Year, Ademola Lookman, and Nottingham Forests’ star defender, Ola Aina, from the match was an indication that the NFF had decided to belittle the final group tie.
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Lookman was said to have picked up an injury in the match with the Cheetahs of Benin Republic, but it is doubtful if the injury was serious enough to keep him out of the match against Rwanda. Surely, when Atlanta will travel to play against Parma this weekend, the man of the moment Lookman would feature prominently. In the case of Aina, the NFF itself said his club had pleaded that their ‘shorts-sagging’ right wingback should be released to them for the crucial match against Arsenal.
As a matter of fact, the nonchalant attitude towards the match showed clearly that having already qualified for the continental showpiece, the match would be prosecuted with reserve players. Therefore, when the team sheet was released hours before kickoff, there was no Victor Osimhen,Wilfred Ndidi, Samuel Chukwueze, Calvin Bassey, and Frank Oyenka in the starting lineup. Although Captain William Troost-Ekong, Alex Iwobi, and Moses Simon were picked to guide their less experienced teammates, it was obvious that the Super Eagles weren’t starting the prestige match with their best legs.
Unfortunately, when the match commenced, the attack, which was anchored on the duo of Victor Boniface and kelechi Iheanacho, failed to bite throughout the first half. Consequently, the AFCON qualifier became a sleep-inducing affair till the 59the minute when substitute Samuel Chukwueze who took over from the misfiring Iheanacho fired a curling shot into the Amavubi’s net to wake up the fans inside the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo. Chukwueze’s beautiful strike indeed raised hopes for a goal fest.
However, the lethargic Super Eagles surrendered the lead and allowed their opponents to fight back for the historic 2-1 victory. Undoubtedly, the defeat left a bitter taste in the mouths of most Nigerians, especially those fans who have refused to lower their expectations. But most of the fans foresaw what happened, so there was no reason to lose sleep. After all, the signs were ominous even before the start of the match. There are players in the Super Eagles who no longer inspire confidence in some of us.
Well, even as there is no need to cry over spilled milk, it is necessary to state here that the biggest casualty in the latest humiliation is Coach Eguavoen who willingly picked up another ignominious record with the Super Eagles. Maybe he has lost interest in coaching the Super Eagles, but allowing his record with the team to deteriorate shouldn’t have been an option. Now, he will forever be remembered as the man who was in charge when ‘small’ Rwanda won their first match against Nigeria and in Nigeria.
This is neither to undermine nor devalue the man popularly called ‘Cerezo,’ who played 49 times for Nigeria as right wingback, but it is pertinent to mention that Eguavoen’s poor record with the Super Eagles began when he wrestled down Roberto Baggio in the box in the Round of 16 clash Italy on July 5, 1994 at the World Cup in the USA.
Nigeria had taken an early lead when Emmanuel Amuneke shocked the Italians with the opening goal in the 26th minute but when it looked like the Africans were going to cause a major upset, Baggio found the equalizer with a minute left in regulation time. But twelve minutes into extra time, tragedy struck when Eguavoen clumsily fouled Baggio in the box. The resultant penalty was converted by Baggio himself to send Nigeria out of the World Cup. Many still believe the Super Eagles would have gone all the way to the final on their debut if not for that bizarre defending by Eguavoen.
And only a few years ago, he was in the dugout when Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup for the second time. Last Monday, he was the man in charge when Nigeria was beaten for the first time by Rwanda. So, what is going to be his next unwanted record with the Super Eagles?
Well, Eguavoen’s approach to the match against Rwanda showed lack of interest to continue as the Super Eagles coach. Otherwise, he would have done everything possible to round up the AFCON qualifiers without a loss to make a strong case for the NFF to jettison the plan to hire a foreign coach. Now, going by the saying that a coach is only as good as his last match, who will still recommend him to carry on?
It is also possible that as the NFF’s technical director, he is involved in the hunt for an expatriate coach. Therefore, he didn’t deem it necessary to impress anyone. Moreover, the 2026 World Cup qualifiers would resume in March and the Super Eagles’ precarious standing in group C is well-known. I doubt if Eguavoen would like to preside over another World Cup mishap. Maybe, these are some of the considerations that made him pay less attention to the match against the Amavubis of Rwanda. It’s like he wants to ‘jump’ the ship before it may sink.
In any case, the NFF is once again searching for an expatriate coach to replace the man whose tenure as acting coach has elapsed. If the federation succeeds this time, Eguavoen will concentrate on his technical director’s role, but in case there is another failure, the ‘vacuum doctor’ may be forced to return for a fourth stint with the Super Eagles.
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