NIGERIA: Reflecting on AFCON 2019

The AFCON 2019 is over and Nigeria finished in third-place, a position that has become attached to Nigeria's performance at the AFCON across historical times. In spite of the noise surrounding whether Manager Gernot Rohr should stay or leaved, the essence of this blog is not on Manager Rohr but on matters that extend beyond Rohr.

But first, let's take another look at the 2019 AFCON.

The Issue of "Youngest Squad" and Championship Expectation

The idea that Nigeria may have taken the youngest squad to the tournament does not mean that the aspiration was not to win the championship. The reality is that Nigeria is always one of the favorites when it comes to being at the AFCON tournament. Importantly, this Nigerian team, on the average, is actually older than the Nigerian team that won the 1980 AFCON! Thus, being the youngest team does not preclude ability to win a tournament like the AFCON.

Chasing Egypt, Cameroon, and Ghana: Is it a Bridge Too Far?

Those seeking to observe Nigeria move closer to catching up, statistically, with the top teams of Africa in AFCON competition, would have to wait for yet another AFCON. Nigeria could not improve on its three AFCON trophies that would have closed the gap against Egypt, Cameroon, and Ghana who continue to stay ahead with more AFCON championships. In fact, with Algeria's two trophies following the recent triumph at the 2019 AFCON, Nigeria finds itself faced with having to stay ahead of the Algerians.  

Nonetheless, watching Nigeria at the tournament makes it clear that Nigeria has the weapons to challenge strongly for the trophy. The only team that stood head and shoulders above the rest at this tournament -- Algeria -- deservedly won the trophy.  Nigeria came up short against Algeria and could possibly have taken the game into over time had it not been for a magnificent set piece converted by Mahrez at the death.

Many would wonder, how did Algeria suddenly become better than Nigeria after Nigeria had comprehensively dominated Algeria during the World Cup qualifiers just two years ago? But the reality is that soccer fortunes change.  They are never static. Remember during the 2018 World Cup qualifiers, Algeria started off as Africa's top team but was overcome by a lower ranked Nigeria. At this AFCON, the tables turned.

That Madagascar Embarrassment

The Madagascar defeat at the tournament was unexpected and embarrassing. Sure, Nigeria started some bench players in that game and changed five starters from the critical game against Guinea. Yet, that is not a credible excuse for that defeat. Nigeria, needing a point to secure a coveted top place in the group, failed to take a point from the game. That was what denotes how embarrassing the result was. Nigeria has the more decorated and well known players and had a point to battle for. The failure to secure the point was the low point of Nigeria's 2019 AFCON campaign.


From the Highs of Cameroon and South Africa to the Disappointment of Algeria

Nigeria recapture its pride with wins over defending champion Cameroon and a late goal to overcome a strong South African team that had lately become a stubborn opponent for Nigeria. The South African win was important because South Africa had grown in confidence, especially after its surprise elimination of the host Egypt in Cairo. The two wins by Nigeria trust Nigeria into one of the super favorites to win the Cup until defeat in the hands of the more favored Algerian team.

Algeria was clearly the better team against Nigeria as it slit through Nigeria's defense at will but missed glaring opportunities. That Nigeria was tied late in the game was a stroke of luck and eventually Mahrez's set piece presented a deserved winner to the Algerians.

Assessing Odion Ighalo and the Rest

Ultimately, how do you assess the players and the team? For one, Odion Ighalo's five goals was enough to make him top scorer at the tournament and he became the only Nigerian player to be picked as part of the tournament's Top 11. Ighalo had a productive tournament and his subsequent decision to retire was a shock. But the reality is that the way Nigeria's team is built, the retirements of both skipper Obi Mikel and Odion Ighalo will not be missed. There are several talented players on the bench. In Mikel's case, he was already on the bench by the time the tournament was over.

Obviously, the Manager Gernot Rohr has a lot of work ahead of him as he continues to build a much stronger team. The idea of being inferior to opponents in the case of ball possession continues to be troubling and it stuck out like a sore thumb at AFCON 2019. It was a major contrast from 2013 when Nigeria won the Cup by dominating possession in most games.

The goalkeeping position remains a troubling spot. None of the current three goalkeepers is convincing and certainly not after Nigeria's goal had been ably protected by the likes of Vincent Enyeama and Ikeme. The current crop of goalkeepers are far below the grade of those two.

The defense demonstrated that both Aina and Awaziem, who had rarely played before the AFCON, are reliable options. However, for Balogun his age as well as one big blunder at the AFCON now points to huge questions about his game and his continued stay at the national team level especially with his inability to star at the low-profile Brighton Hove in England.

In midfield, Nigeria is beginning to look eerily thin. Besides Etebo and Ndidi, the substitutes look far below par and unknown. Ogu is known but his age and play at the AFCON had little to be confident about. So who is next? Is it a recall of Onazi and Mikel Agu? Is it a rethink leading to the call of Okechukwu and Ebere? Rohr would have to decide quickly.

There is abundance of players who play wide forward when Nigeria has the ball. It is a loaded position and perhaps the best African team in those areas when assessing both starters and reserves.

Ighalo's departure up front may sound bleak because of Ighalo's recent strike rate. However, there are definitely good options that can step up. First is the young Victor Osimhen who is a busy forward with pace to burn. There are others particularly if Kelechi Iheanacho regains the form that once made him Nigeria's most loved player, atleast arguably.

Nigeria's Football: The Future

As has been the case since 1994, we always believe that Nigeria is loaded with exceptional footballing talent. Yet, since, 1994, Nigeria has won just one AFCON. The truth is that while Nigeria may be loaded with talented players, other countries can state exactly the same. Both Ivory Coast with its Mimosifcom Academy and Senegal with Diambarrs Academy may well be producing more elite talent than Nigeria. Thus, there will not be an AFCON tournament that waits for Nigeria to dominate. Nigeria is always going to compete with teams that are equally talented or even more talented. The aspiration to always win must be there but the reality that it may not always happen even with the best of coaches should be acknowledged, even if grudgingly.