Nigeria Starts World Cup Qualifier with Maximum Points as Liberia goes down

Lagos -- The Super Eagles started the qualifier for the 2022 World Cup with a 2-0 home win over Liberia in Lagos. On a day that Nigeria's captain Ahmed Musa clocked a century of games for his country, the Eagles virtually walked through a dreary game. Fortunately, what matters is earning the maximum points and not the style.

The qualifiers began a few weeks ago with so much uncertainty about the availability of the UK-based players. The contingent showed up and played a critical role with Kelechi Iheanacho notching a brace and his second was off another UK-based mate -- Alex Iwobi. It underlined the importance of the contingent to Nigeria's hopes and the fact that they will be absent for the next game against Cape Verde is certainly a note of worry.

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....... the 2-0 win was enough. Maximum points earned and two points clear on the group table. There could not have been a better start to the campaign. 

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But until then, the 2-0 win was enough. Maximum points earned and two points clear on the group table. There could not have been a better start to the campaign. That much is clear.

Iheanacho entered this game with just one goal in his last 19 appearances for Nigeria  was going through a dry spell that was stunning given that he had scored 8 in his previous 14. What a contrast!  His opener against Liberia was fortuitous. He struck a left foot low ball, with little power, but amazingly the Liberian goalkeeper's poor attempt saw the ball slip through after 21 minutes from the opening whistle. However, it was not more than Nigeria deserved at that point. 

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Iheanacho entered this game with just one goal in his last 19 appearances for Nigeria  was going through a dry spell that was stunning given that he had scored 8 in his previous 14. What a contrast! 

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Nigeria clearly, energized, and could have gone up further but Osimhen inexplicably fluffed a gaping opportunity when an Iwobi attempt came off the grounded goalkeeper. That Osimhen latched on quickly but panicky was a surprise. But Osimhen was not at the top of his game on the day. It was Iheanacho's day, in the contrast. This was underlined further when two of three bookings earned by the Liberians came from fouls directed against Iheanacho.

Wilfred Ndidi, who practically slept through the opening half, came alive in the second. He appeared allover the place and his command looked like Nigeria was on the way to overrunning the visitors. Yet, it never happened. Nevertheless, what mattered is that Nigeria travel to Cape Verde with maximum points and at the apex of its qualifying group.

LINE-UP/RATING

Maduka Okoye (23) - 6.2 - He had very little to do on the day except for a scare in the second half when he scampered out to kick the ball to safety.

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Ola Aina (2) - 6.2 - He did quite well defensively.

William Troost-Ekong (cpt - 5) - He had a strong game defensively.  William was the more commanding of the centre backs.

Leon Balogun (6) -- 6.0 -- He had an average game. Noe of his slalom runs from the defense occurred today. It was a subdued performance.

Jamilu Collins (3) -- 6.2 -- He had an okay game but considering the opponents' performance it is difficult that this was a revival for him in Nigeria's colors.

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Wilfred Ndidi (4) -- 6.5 -- He may have been Nigeria's best player after halftime but the reality is that his opening half display was underwhelming.

Joseph Aribo (10) -- 6.5 -- He was everywhere in the opening half but then faded in the second. His play was directly inverse to that of Ndidi.

Kelechi Iheanacho (14) -- 6.7 -- A brace underlined his return to scoring form for Nigeria after a long period of being in the scoring wilderness. Importantly, withdrawn from the string position to support the midfield, he still found the space top strike when it mattered most. 

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Alex Iwobi (18) -- 6.3 -- Alex was all over calling or the passes but there was a difference in how this helped or hindered as the game went on. Earlier there were several miscues but he later settled down to stamp his authority on the game.

Victor Osimhen (9) -- 6.2 -- Victor was hungry as usual as he hunted intensely for goals. Yet it all ended, personally, in vain. He fluffed an open chance deep in the box in the opening half. It was the kind of opportunity that he usually puts away.

Moses Simon (15) -- 7.0 -- Although Moses was substituted in the second half, he was easily the most dangerous of Nigeria's attacking source in the opening half. He regularly and easily got around his markers. However, he faded in the second period.

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Paul Onuachu (19) -- X 

Samuel Kalu (17) -- X 

Ahmed Musa (7) -- X

Abdullahi Shehu (12) -- X

Oghenekaro Etebo (8) -- X

Okoye -- Aina, Ekong (cpt), Balogun, Collins -- Ndidi, Aribo (90+3 Etebo) -- Iwobi (84 Shehu), Iheanacho (84 Musa), Simon (77 Kalu) -- Osimhen (77 Onuachu).