SL10 Monitors Flying Eagles

After the Flying Eagles mind blowing start to their campaign yesterday at the Africa Youth Championship Nigeria foremost football portal SL10.ng who has been monitoring the team preparations and progress to the tournament takes a look at the players and how they fare in the 3-1 win over host Senegal .

A brace for Taiwo Awoniyi makes him the standout performer but we will take a look at how other players fare in the morale boosting victory for Nigeria.

 

JOSHUA ENAHOLO (GK)……..A very impressive display from the MFM man,twice saved his team on one on one situation which includes a potential save of the tournament off a header,quick off his line and displayed firm grip of the ball on the strength of his display easy to see why he was preferred ahead of Dele Alampasu in goal…8/10

MUSA MOHAMMED……..Captain of the side was his usual overlapping self but quality of his ball across which usually use to be his strong point was missing today and defensively caught out on more than two occasion can obviously do more…6/10

MUSTAPHA ABDULLAHI…….. Lively and strong in attack, a useful outlet in attack thanks to his overlapping runs, twice bailed out his central defenders with strong tackles on the cover but like his right full back compatriot his delivery was a letdown…6.5/10

IZU OMEGO……..Easily the worst player on the pitch for the Flying Eagles appears he was playing with nerves, exposed his central defence partner on numerous occasion, was busy protesting a dive when Senegal pounced on a half cleared ball to score their only goal, Senegalese had joy threading through balls  via his position unless he improves on his showing might be drop from subsequent games…4/10

ZAHRADEEN BELLO……..Calm and strong in tackles but guilty of indecision especially in dealing with through balls, more assured than his partner in central defence but his positioning for Senegal’s only goal of the game raises questions about his reading of the game…5/10

AKINJIDE IDOWU……..Won more balls and tackles than any other player on show for Nigeria but failed to screen his central defence properly which was breached severally by the Senegalese guilty of wandering far away from the defence line where his contribution would have steadied a shaky defence…6/10

IFEANYI MATTHEW……..Arguably the best player on the pitch for Nigeria, two delightful balls over the defence of Senegal set up Taiwo Awoniyi for his brace and got the goal his performance deserves,was buzzing all round breaking the rhythm of the opposition and spraying passes all round for his teammates, boss the game and need I say took his goal so nicely, no backlift strike sweetly struck on his weaker foot…9/10

IFEANYI IFEANYI……..Unlike his colleague and namesake in the middle for the Flying Eagles, he was subdued but still put in a good shift  moving the ball quickly to his teammates a bit slack in marking and failed to provide necessary cover for full backs when they overlapped…6/10

 

CHIDERA EZEH........Failed to show any of the abilities that made him a hit for the team during qualifiers, drifted out of the game totally bar some few nice touches, no surprise he was first to make way when the coaches decided to reshuffle the team, was also guilty of not providing cover for Musa Mohammed when he bombs forward …5/10

BERNARD BUBLWA……..Petit forward who has an eye for goals as well but on this occasion did more marking than pose a threat to the opposition goal, an industrious performance nevertheless, tired as the game progressed got replaced by Wasiu Jimoh as Manu Garba tried to bring more pace and fresh idea to his team…6.5/10

TAIWO AWONIYI……..A contender for man of the match, timed his runs to perfection for the both goals he scored, profited from some slack goalkepping in scoring his brace but deserves credits and plaudits for his overall display,   holding up the ball nicely and bringing his teammates into play on one particular occasion a nice ball to Ifeanyi Matthew could have sealed a perfect team goal…8.5/10

SUBSTITUTES…

ALHASSAN IBRAHIM…….. Subbed on and subbed off later with what appears to be a reoccurrence of the injury that ended his trial with Rijeka in Croatia,only major contribution was teeing up Awoniyi with a clever ball which the lanky striker should have buried…3/10

OBINNA NWOBODO……..Brought in to help Nigeria keep possession and stuck to his task, kept it simple and played with confidence but wasted a good chance to free Musa Abdullahi as his weak pass was easily intercepted…4.5/10

WASIU JIMOH…….. Lively when he came on showed good energy and was ready to get stuck in tackles could have done more though choosing to shoot when a pass could have been better…5/10