Super Eagles caretaker coach Augustine Eguavoen has said the team must have the right mentality to earn a spot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The three-time African champions are yet to win a game in the qualifying series.
Nigeria currently occupy fifth position in Group C with three points from four games.
Rwanda, South Africa and Benin Republic are joint leaders in the group with seven points from same number of matches.
Read Also:Gbadebo Backs Eguavoen’s Interim Extension, Urges NFF To Strengthen Super Eagles’ Backroom Staff
Eguavoen believed the Super Eagles can still make it to the mundial, but insisted they must fight for every points.
“It has to be with positive thinking (for Nigeria to qualify for the World Cup),” Eguavoen told Brila FM.
“We have to approach every game like a cup final and we have a big chance once we keep winning these remaining games even if it were by 1-0.”
The Super Eagles will be away to the Amavubi of Rwanda when the qualifiers resume in March, 2025.
By Adeboye Amosu
11 Comments
The players need to fight, but Eguavoen needs to also be tactically flexible.
The 3-4-3 formation he used in his first 2 matches have now be seen by our opponents, and they will be ready for that when we meet. Tactical adjustments will need to be made, for the competitive edge to be maintained and possibly enhanced.
I have Rohr in particular in mind. If we give him the exact same set up we used in the 3 nil win, it will likely not end well for us, as Rohr must have found solutions to that already. As some have suggested, he was likely surprised by the 3-4-3 formation. But he will be ready for it the next time we meet.
We all witnessed how Emerse Fae outmaneuvered Peseiro in the Afcon final. If Peseiro had been more flexible tactically, the story could have been different. We must not repeat the same mistake with Rohr and our other opponents.
So again, yes, the players have a big fight ahead, but the coach also needs to be a problem solver. A one trick pony coach will get us nowhere.
Fae did not outsmart Peseiro. Peseiro fielded unfit players.
If Fae did not outsmart Peseiro, what happened then?
The cup is now with CIV. Did Peseiro voluntarily donate the trophy to them? There was a tactical battle between the 2 coaches, and Peseiro lost that battle.
That Fae had Kessie, Fofana and Seri in the middle, was that happenstance? Or could it be that Fae had done his homework, saw that we had a weak middle, and strategically sought to exploit that?
That’s the dictionary definition of outfoxing. It’s just the plain fact.
CSN, the march is in 2025 and not 2024, please correct it.
bobo ajasco, how far na, how market shairman? well to be honest wit yuh my guy the march dey 2024 too o – de ting start from 1998 and he still dey until today sha, and hin still dey arand for 2025 and hin go still show face again for 2026 up to arand 2034 in fact, afta dat then me I know sure if the march dey that side but no, hin still dey well well from 2023 to 2024 choose one my guy lmaooo – wuna nor go kii pesin for dis csn sha pmsl
Eguavoen tried his best. He needs a second chance.
A fourth chance you mean?
Alex07,
I think you hit a note there.
An obvious misstep leveled against Peseiro in the Afcon was his overuse of players to near breaking point throughout the tournament. It could be argued that poor player rotations rather than any tactical shortcomings proved to be the difference between first and second place positions for Peseiro.
His ultra-defensive strategy in the final, kept Ivory Coast at bay and did produce the first goal of the match in Nigeria’s favour. In the right wingback position, heavily overused Ola Aina couldn’t cope with the more fresh and largely underused dashing winger Simon Adingra on the night which contributed to both goals scored.
The midfield duo of Iwobi and Onyeka barely had petrol left in their engines having being overstretched in games to that point which meant they struggled to help the team stem the tide of constant Ivory Coast onslaught – fresh legs were required.
Adringa buried Nigeria in that match. Had Peseiro fielded the right wingback position with less-tired legs, the outcome could have been distinctly different.
The strategy and formation on the day (though not one I like in the slightest) was actually working until pent-up tiredness set in harmfully.
From the second game – ironically against Ivory Coast – Nigeria’s opponents knew what to expect but 4 teams could not prevent the Super Eagles from reaching the final where we actually took the lead. Because the structure and infrastructure of the formation was rock solid with the highest levels of discipline and attention to tactical details (offensive and defensive) ever seen in a Nigerian team. But poor rotation meant many players were too tired in the final to fully support the tactical integrity of that formation – Ola Aina, Iwobi and Onyeka particularly (some would even argue that Osihmen was massively overworked in constantly tracking back and swiftly bombing forward endlessly).
So Alex, I too don’t think Peseiro was necessarily outfoxed tactically in that final and I say that just from the perspective of personal subjective and ultimately potentially fallible opinion.
Spain played 4-3-3 throughout Euro 2024 and won. It’s not always so much about changing the formation but perhaps honing your approach, adopting different orientations and injecting creative and fresh angles, ideas and applications with and within the same formation (with player rotation that promotes freshness, hunger and drive).
Look at it, with the same formation that Peseiro averages 30% – 40% possession with emphasis on fewer touches on the ball and counter-attacks, Eguavoen averaged over-50% possession with far more emphasis on ball possession, retention and rapid incisions into enemy territory: same formation; different orientation.
I am not a betting man but I doubt Eguavoen will deviate from 3-4-3 formation. His players like it and he wants them on side. I feel he will tweak it in-game and always seek to deliver varied variations of what essentially will be the same formation.
Good luck to the Super Eagles.
@deo we are not a defensive team. Rohr played 4 at the back and it was difficult to concede. Something is wrong with the personnel at the back and midfield which has to be fixed.
The players are equally over worked as in the days of Rohr. We conceded late goals because the formation tires the players out.
Coache,
Gernot Rohr played with 5 defenders in 2 games in the 2018 World Cup and in 2021 Afcon and World Cup qualifications.
We only conceded in 2 games out of 6 in the Afcon after Peseiro switched to 3-4-3 constellation.
Also, if you say we are not a defensive team, how come we struggled recently under 3 coaches in as many years to play offensive football?