AFCON 2013: Super Eagles under fire

By Osagie Alonge

The 2013 African Cup of Nations is well underway in South Africa – tough matches, incredible goals, unbelievable saves and many more. Nigerians however do not seem pleased with the Nigerian team, the Super Eagles’ poor performance so far.

Fans were doubtful of a brilliant performance after Coach Stephan Keshi released a 23-man list excluding strikers Osaze Odemwingie, Obafemi Martins and Yakubu Aiyegbeni. Another player missing from the squad was full back Danny Shittu.

Nigerians were however happy that the country was participating in the tournament seeing that the Eagles missed out of the 2011 edition. Even the President Goodluck Jonathan called in to wish the team good luck (no pun intended).

Fielded in a group with current champions Zambia, Burkina Faso and northern side Ethiopia seem not to bad for the Super Eagles, however after two matches played, the two-time champions have only been able to muster up two points from two draws.

Keshi and his boys grabbed their first point against underdogs Burkina Faso by failing to secure a win after the former took the lead in the 12th minute with a strike from Emmanuel Emenike. The reactions from fans and football pundits after the match were mostly negative with skipper Joseph Yobo receiving a large chunk of the blame.

‘Joseph Yobo had probably his worst ever game in Super Eagles jersey today. Couldn’t organise his defence and had a shaky game. Happens’, popular sports analyst Kayode Tijani said on social network Twitter.

Ex-eagles skipper and Nations Cup winner Sunday Oliseh felt the same way but was still hopeful. ‘We were the Architect of our own loss. But I still feel we can qualify’, he tweeted.

Yobo however assured Nigerians including President Goodluck Jonathan that he and his team would not disappoint in subsequent matches.  Yobo didn’t have much to do in the next match against Zambia as Coach Keshi took him off the team.

It was a similar story against Zambia; the Super Eagles also took the lead in the 57th minute with a goal another from Emmanuel Emenike making him the first player to score two goals in the tournament after Mikel Obi had missed a penalty spot kick in the first half. Zambia pulled on back, levelling the score with a penalty kick from goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene.

Forget the reactions this time, goalkeeper and temporary captain Vincent Enyeama threw a tantrum on and off pitch telling pressmen that the match was badly officiated.

‘It was the worst decision I have seen live. I don’t know what is happening with the officiating,’ Enyeama fumed.

‘We had a terrible official in the first game too. But a decision like the one today does not belong in African football, and certainly not in a match of the magnitude of the champions against Nigeria’, he added.

With Burkina Faso thumping Ethiopia four goals to nil, Nigeria is stuck in second position (sharing the same points with Zambia) with only one game left in the group stage against Ethiopia. Hopes are high – a win for the Super Eagles will see us advance to the Quarter Finals.

‘Worst possible outcome for Nigeria, both in result and score. Super Eagles now need to better this score, and hope Zambia win or draw BFA’, Super Sport TV analyst Colin Udoh says.

The blame is now being shared by Yobo (who was involved in the first goal Nigeria received), Mikel (who missed a penalty), Keshi (for dropping Osaze and co.) and the Nigerian Football Federation( the NFF always gets blamed no matter what)