Nigeria Takes Deserved Maximum Points in Cape Verde

Mindelo, Cape Verde -- Nigeria came from behind to take a deserved maximum points from its second game in a World Cup qualifier in Cape Verde. Apart from a late spirited effort by the host team, Nigeria was clearly the dominant team in this encounter. From the start, the result was hardly in any doubt. Nigeria tossed the ball around, making the hosts to chase shadows for long periods.  That Nigeria had several starters absent was hardly felt. The lads wearing the green and white did enough that the absences were a distant thought.

In spite of the domination, Nigeria has to be concerned in the long run. The goalkeeping by Maduka Okoye was horrendous as he gave up a goal when it had seemed more difficult for the hosts to score. Nigeria had dominated up to that moment. Yet, the host team was fortunate in the 19th minute as they beat Nigeria's offside trap. Okoye had been positioned to snuff out an attempt from the left side by the hosts. Instead, he still conceded! He let a ball rifled to his covered side go passed him as his defense stood in bewilderment. It was a goofing moment and he will be happy that Nigeria was able to recover and still win the game.

Nigeria, confident in its ability to win this game, kept on the pressure. Ejuke and Collins were repeatedly giving the hosts fits down the left as they took turns getting behind the defense. The difference in place was marked! Even Osimhen began to call for the balls over the top, believing that he could easily outrun the defense. But to Nigeria's credit, the team remained disciplined circulating the ball around and bidding its opportunities. And the opportunities were plentiful.  It did not take long before a deserved equalizer arrived. Collins, once again, romped down the left beyond two defenders and his cross was clattered by a defender. As the goalie sought to stave off an own goal he only parried it into the path of a lurking Osimhen to score. It was suddenly 1-1.

Nigerian Eagles kept their fangs dug in. Ejuke romped down the left with four minutes to the interval and deceptively shot high but the alert goalkeeper turned it away. Then Nigeria was denied a clear penalty award deep in the box after a defender slammed his cleats into Awaziem's head in a scramble barely two minutes later.

Nigeria sensing an easy prey, turned on the heat just after interval with Simon creating problems down the right. Further, the increased Nigerian pressure on the ball deep in the Cape Verde half was making the host defense jittery on the artificial turf. At the other end, the hosts depended on deep runs behind the defense to slip through the offside traps. But as the game tilted towards an even display that had been hitherto nonexistence, a surprise suddenly reared its head. A Cape Verde defender, more than 40 yards away from his goal, felt pressure and suddenly and inexplicably volleyed a long back pass over his goalkeeper and into the net to deliver all three points to Nigeria with a quarter of an hour left still to play.

A stung Cape Verde team then turned on the heat. Nigeria appeared unraveled as the pressure intensified and three Nigerians got into the referee's book. Okoye, unchallenged, most of the day, thankfully, corralled a late Cape Verde opportunity as the clock ran out. It was important. It kept Nigeria unscathed in two games as the race for the World Cup berth continued.

RATINGS

Maduka Okoye (1) - 5.0 - Maduka he had an awful game. Most of the time, Maduka had been untested but when he did midway into the opening half, he served up a howler. Although he improved after the interval, there was little really to write home about.

____________

Abdullahi Shehu (12) - 5.8 -- Shehu was expected to start the game in the midfield but was held at wingback after the COVID rules and results played havoc on expected team set up. He was partly responsible for the opening goal letting an attacker wide open behind him and untracked.

Kenneth Omeruo (22) -- 6.0 -- Omeruo's display was nothing to write home about and it is clear that he has fallen way behind the usual starters. He seemed largely unsure as the game progressed and some of his decision making became problematic.

Chiedozie Awaziem (20) -- 6.3 -- Chiedozie was clearly the stronger of the two centre backs. His speed of recovery and covering for the wing backs was evident. Upfront, he paid for a foray with a hit on the head that should have attracted a booking on the culprit but yet it was ignored by the match official.

Jamilu Collins (3) -- 7.0 -- Collins had a great game. He dominated his flank with runs that the host team had difficulty managing. Ultimately, one such run from deep ended in a cross from Collins that a Cape Verde defender made a meal of and resulted in the equalizing goal for Nigeria.

----------------

Moses Simon (15) -- 6.2 -- Simon started very slowly, failing to impact the game. However, he rose to the top at the start of the second period with devastating runs at the host defense until he was sent to the bench.

Innocent Bonke (13) -- 6.3 -- Innocent had a good debut for Nigeria by constantly providing an outlet for passes from his defense. It was not spectacular but effective. He was fortunate to escape an early booking with a crunch tackle on an opponent in the opening half.

Kingsley Michael (14) -- 6.1 -- Kingsley did nothing remarkable and, perhaps, the lack of credible midfielders in the squad left him not just as a starter but for a long period on the field. Nevertheless, and although he was a tad slower than his team mates, he did enough.

Chidera Ejuke (8) -- 6.8 -- Chidera was a tormentor of the host team with his runs down the left that constantly created problems for the Cape Verde defenders. He, however, tired as the game wore on and it was then not pretty as he was easily knocked off the ball.

---------------

Ahmed Musa (cpt- 7) -- 6.3 -- Ahmed Musa had his 100th appearance celebrated after the game. It has been a service worthy of celebration. Although, it seemed that this was his 101st Nigerian appearance, but officials deemed that one of his games had not counted. On this day, he started slowly with wayward passes but was impactful as the game wore on before he was substituted.

---------------

Victor Osimhen (9) -- 7.2 -- Clearly, Victor was Nigeria's most dangerous player. His acceleration was a problem for the host defense and he crowned it with a goal in an opportunistic fashion. He was at the right place at the right time to score from the keeper's rebound as Collins' cross created havoc deep in the defense.

Substitutes

Henry Onyekuru (11) -- 6.2. -- Henry had been an afterthought for these qualifiers with a late call up but in his few minutes, today, he showed that he still belonged. He came close with a deceptive grounder that the goalkeeper saved and then he earned a caution as the host team mounted a come back attempt.

Terem Moffi (18) -- 6.0 -- Moffi added very little when he came in.

Zaidu Sanusi - X

Paul Onuachu - X