Nigerian gospel singer Nathaniel Bassey has joined the chorus of critics following the Super Eagles’ disappointing 1-1 draw with Zimbabwe in their World Cup qualifier on Tuesday, March 25, at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo.
The result has left Nigeria’s hopes of securing a spot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup hanging in the balance.
The match saw Victor Osimhen give Nigeria the lead in the 75th minute with a powerful header, but Zimbabwe’s Tawanda Chirewa stunned the Super Eagles with a last-minute equaliser in the 90th minute, leaving fans deflated and the team’s qualification prospects hanging by a thread.
Bassey was vocal in his criticism of the team’s performance, highlighting a recurring issue with complacency.
He posted on social media: “I’ve always said this, one of our problems is managing small success. You score just one goal, all of a sudden you think you have qualified for the World Cup.”
He continued: “The Zimbabweans practically strolled from the midfield into the net unchallenged while we watched. Na wa. Now they’ll start calculating maths.”
The reaction from fans on social media was swift and scathing, with many expressing frustration over the team’s lacklustre performance.
Kachi Onyedika was particularly harsh, saying: “I’m sorry but Nwabali utter dog shte. He can’t keep his focus for 90 minutes, gets too cocky and overconfident for no reason! Very heavy going down. He has so many flaws in his game but everyone’s overlooking it because of last AFCON.”*
Daniel Regha pointed the finger at both the players and coaching staff, writing: “Super Eagles coach is to blame as much as the players. The team lacks consistency and determination. This performance against Zimbabwe was embarrassing. The team needs to step it up; this is the World Cup for goodness sake.”
Influencer @_VALKlNG summed up the collective anxiety with a succinct query: “Omo, shey Nigeria still fit qualify like this?” (Can Nigeria still qualify like this?)
British-Nigerian doctor and social media personality @OurFavOnlineDoc offered a more measured response, stating: “To be honest, that was a poor game. We should have won. We could have won. We didn’t look convincing at all. I genuinely hope we qualify for the World Cup. But we absolutely need to do a whole lot better. I still support Team Super Eagles.”
The frustration extended beyond fans as Abiola (@abdulhakeemyun6) lamented: “A big shame, Nigeria supposed to be Spain/Germany to all other African teams but chai.”
Analyst Solace Chukwu dissected the tactical choices, stating: “I thought the (Victor) Boniface sub was a blunder on (Eric) Chelle’s part. That said, Ekong really should have dealt with that (the Zimbabwe run to the goal); he’s a great leader, but at this point he needs to be phased out of the starting XI. AFCON 2023 was, looking back, his one final heave.”
@Choji_ES criticised the team’s over-reliance on Osimhen, writing: “Zimbabwe had one job. Frustrate us and steal points. They did it effortlessly. The moment Osimhen left, the team collapsed. Over-reliance on one player is a disaster waiting to happen. At this rate, let’s just forget the World Cup and focus on AFCON and hope for a miracle.”
Others, such as Oladayo Martins, expressed concerns about individual performances, with a particular focus on the defensive lapses. “Ekong was a major flop today… Bassey came to his rescue severally. Based on permutations and calculations, we’ve still got a chance,” Martins added.
David (@otdavidlol) was less forgiving, pointing the blame squarely at the players. “I completely blame the players. Anyone that blames the coach didn’t watch the match and doesn’t understand football. Eric coached a winning game. But the players did him dirty. See (Alex) Iwobi’s miss. See (Ademola) Lookman’s miss. See (Moses) Simon’s performance. See (Samuel) Osayi’s performance – rubbish.”
The 1-1 draw leaves Nigeria in a precarious position in Group C, sitting fourth with just seven points, while South Africa leads the group with 13 points. With only four matches remaining, the Super Eagles now face an uphill battle to secure World Cup qualification.
The team will have an opportunity to bounce back in their next home match against Rwanda in August, where they will need a strong performance to reignite their World Cup hopes.
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