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Super Eagles Are The Real Deal
HOW are these Super Eagles not going to be at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the summer? How? How? How?
The foregoing was the question that agitated my mind as Nigeria’s Super Eagles delivered yet another masterclass performance to knock out Algeria in their AFCON quarterfinal showndown in Marrakech Grand Stadium on Saturday, January the 10th. It took me quite some time to settle for this introduction because there are a plethora of angles to report the game and its aftermath. But I settled for this angle eventually because it is painful and regrettable. What a shame that the world will not get to see the best of Nigerian football in more than a decade.
For those who have followed my diary religiously since the start of the AFCON, you know that I am not a latter day praise singer for these Eagles. As early as their second game when they defeated Tunisia 3-2 in the first round, I had described their football as the best we have seen from our national team in four years, which my colleague, Emeka Obasi, graciously extended to “the best in 10 years.” Champagne Football, he called it.
When another colleague interviewed me before Nigeria’s Round of 16 game against Mozambique and suggested that Nigeria was “the better team on paper,” I interjected immediately and told him that Nigeria was also “the better team on the pitch,” which the Eagles underscored with a comprehensive 4-0 win.
And when yet another colleague suggested that the Eagles won so convincingly only because “Mozambique was a weak opposition,” I countered by responding that the Eagles could only beat the opposition presented to them and that the performance was no fluke. Well, for anyone who still had any doubts about the brilliance of these Eagles, I believe all those doubts would have evaporated following their latest commanding performance against Algeria.
I wanted to gauge the reporting of the match from a totally different perspective, so I went online to check some foreign publications. One headline stood out for me from the ‘North African Post‘. The editors wrote: “Nigeria Sweep Aside Algeria With A 2-0 Win, Face Morocco In The Semifinals Wednesday.”
Can you see the key words?: ‘Sweep Aside.’ That’s exactly what the Super Eagles did to their eternal rivals and one of the best teams at this AFCON: they swept them aside like they did not exist!
Right from the start, the Eagles pinned their illustrious opponents inside their own half of the pitch with scrip passing and movements that have become their signature in this tournament. The sustained pressure should have yielded at least one goal in the first half as Algeria cleared a goal-bound ball by Calvin Bassey off the line and Akor Adams went agonizingly close with a shot that just scaled the cross bar. But the Eagles finally got the goals that their dominance deserved when Victor Osimhen headed home Bruno Onyemaechi’s delicious left wing cross early in the second half (47th minute). He (Osimhen) then put the second on a plate for Akor to round Algerian goalkeeper Luca Zidane and slot into an empty net in the 57th minute. That second goal was symptomatic of Nigeria’s total dominance of the entire match. The mesmerized Algerian defenders just stood by and watched.
Eagles coach Eric Chelle was asked at the post-match conference what he had instilled in his players to turn them into such a dominant force as a team. The Eagles didn’t use to be able to string three passes together in an attacking sequence, but now they can keep the ball virtually forever.
“I have not done anything different in this tournament,” Chelle explained. “If you watched our matches closely even during the World Cup qualifiers against Zimbabwe in Uyo, against South Africa, against Gabon and against DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo), you will see that it is the same philosophy that I brought then that we’re using now. I didn’t change too much the philosophy. The only difference now is that the players have improved, they understand me more what I want from them and we were able to practice well together before this tournament. The result is what you’re seeing now. I am very happy with my players’ performance. They made me very happy today.” And long may that continue.
In my earlier diary entries at the start of the AFCON, I referenced the pressure from some quarters that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) came under to sack Eric Chelle after we failed to qualify for the World Cup. I wrote that it would have been ‘stupid’ to do so knowing from our past experience that changing coaches on the eve of major tournaments had never ended well for Nigeria. And, after that dominant performance in our second game against Tunisia (never mind the ‘close’ 3-2 result), I wrote again that Chelle should be retained as our coach after the AFCON, “whether we win this tournament or not.”
As the Eagles prepare to face Morocco in the semifinals on Wednesday, I am standing ‘gidigba‘ by my proposition. I doubt if there would be any Nigerian today who will say the Malian has not earned an extension to his contract. It’s just a shame that Chelle didn’t arrive early on the scene during the World Cup qualifiers when the NFF was changing coaches like diapers on a baby. That’s the reason we’re not going to be in Canada, Mexico and the United States of America for the FIFA World Cup finals in the summer. What a big shame.
MOTM Osimhen Salutes “Mr. Rashidi Yekini.”
*I WAS highly impressed with Victor Osimhen’s conduct at the post-match press conference following his selection as the Man of the Match against Algeria. First, he dedicated the award to his colleagues for what he called an “impressive team performance against Algeria.” And when he was asked if he had his eyes on Nigeria’s goal scoring record having scored four so far in this AFCON, his response was both respectful and matured.
“No, not at all,” Osimhen began. “I have said it countless times that it doesn’t matter to me whether I equal the (goal scoring) record or surpass it. The late Mr. Rashidi Yekini was the best striker the Super Eagles ever produced and, for me, I have the likes of (former Eagles striker) Odion Ighalo that have inspired me also. I just want to continue to do my best for the team, the Super Eagles of Nigeria. My objective today (against Algeria) was to get a goal or an assist and I got both, so I’m very pleased for the team.”
Mr. Rashidi Yekini?! We’re not used to hearing footballers being addressed as ‘Mister.’ That was a statement of class by Osimhen.
Bad Losers Algeria
*THE Algerians couldn’t hide their frustration following their comprehensive defeat by the Super Eagles. In a match that they didn’t have a single shot on target in 96 minutes, they decided to take out their angst on Senegalese center referee Issa Sy and his assistants at the final whistle. Security personnel had to surround the officials in the center of the pitch and guided them to the safety of their changing room.
Some of the Algerian players then turned on the Super Eagles and a mass brawl resulted. Once again, security measures prevented the brawl from descending into physical combat. While that was going on, Algerian supporters who filled more than half of the stadium began to throw flares. And, at the mixed zone where the media traditionally interviewed players after every game, a fight broke out between Algerian journalists and their Moroccan counterparts as tension boiled over. Even the Algerian coach, Vladimir Petkovic, refused to turn up for the post-match conference. It was a totally classless behaviour all round by the Algerians and it is expected that the Confederation of African Football (CAF) will apply some sanctions.
Meanwhile, Africa has seen the last of Algeria’s captain Riyad Mahrez at the AFCON. The 34-year-old Mahrez had said at the pre-match conference that this AFCON would be his last. Unfortunately, he went out with a whimper as he couldn’t lay a glove on the Eagles defence until he was substituted after 60 minutes.
Thank You Nigeria
*WHILE the Algerians were sulking, Moroccans were celebrating Nigeria’s victory. I have been writing in my diary about the animosity that exists between Algeria and Morocco, particularly on geopolitical issues. Every Moroccan that I’ve met had been begging us (Nigeria) to help them kick Algeria out of the tournament. So you can imagine their joy when the Super Eagles fulfilled their wish.
Our host when we were in Fez, Hajji AbdulKabeer, called my photographer Ganiyu Yusuf and me to congratulate us on what he called a superb performance. “Felicitasion, felicitasion,” he kept shouting excitedly in French over the telephone. He promised to come to Rabat for the semifinal between both our teams.
A restaurateur here in Marrakech had also offered us a free dinner if Nigeria beat Algeria, but we didn’t take up his offer. Finally, when we returned to our apartment after the game, it was a happy AbdulAzeez, the security guy, that opened the doors widely for us to enter. He had warned that if Nigeria did not slaughter Algeria (he demonstrated by slashing his right hand against his neck), he would not let us in. Thank God that the Super Eagles delivered.
Mr.ChefNigeria Hits Bullseye Again
*Well, what can I say? The quarterfinals of the 2025 AFCON have been completed and all four of my Mr.ChefNigeria predictions came to pass. On Friday, Morocco defeated Cameroun 2-0 while Senegal edged Mali 1-0. Yesterday (Saturday) Nigeria defeated Algeria 2-0 while Egypt edged defending champions Côte d’Ivoire 3-2. Just like I predicted.
I have received several messages from readers asking me to look into my crystal ball again and predict the outcome of the semifinal clashes between two West African and two North Africa teams, Senegal versus Egypt in Tanger and Nigeria versus Morocco in Rabat. Now, let me be very clear about this. Unlike the quarterfinals that were easy to predict based only on football considerations, these two semifinals are very tough to call due to extraneous factors that might come into play.
I do not know how much ‘home advantage’ will weigh in Morocco’s favour if you know what I mean, so I won’t predict their game against Nigeria. But if all intervening factors are about the football alone, I would give it to our peerless Eagles that have already outclassed two North African teams in this tournament.
As for the Senegal-Egypt game, it is a repeat of their 2021 AFCON final in Cameroun when their two captains, Senegal’s Sadio Mane and Egypt’s Muhammed Salah, were teammates at Liverpool Football Club. Senegal edged it on that occasion in a penalty shootout to emerge African Champions, and Egypt (and Salah) will be looking for revenge. A lot more is also at stake.
At the start of this AFCON, I pencilled Senegal down to reach the final because of their rich mix of experience, youth, creative and physical attributes that are essential elements of West African football teams. But if any team can withstand those elements, it has to be Egypt whom I’ve always rated as the strongest team (both physically and mentally) from North Africa and their seven AFCON titles attest to this.
Mr.ChefNigeria envoy is always accurate, so I will not speculate. I will leave readers to make their own deductions on the likely winners of the semifinals, based on the factors that I have enumerated.
Semifinal fixtures, Wednesday, 14 January, 2025:
Match #49: Senegal versus Egypt in Tanger at 5.00pm.
Match #50: Nigeria versus Morocco in Rabat at 9.00pm
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