AFCON 2021: Super Eagles player ratings Vs Tunisia- horrific night for Nigeria, Okoye and Iwobi
AFCON 2021: Super Eagles player ratings Vs Tunisia- horrific night for Nigeria, Okoye and Iwobi
It was a horrific night for the Super Eagles of Nigeria. They were eliminated from the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in the round of 16 after a 1-0 loss to the Carthage Eagles of Tunisia.
Maduka Okoye made a big blunder which cost the team, and Iwobi got red-carded barely five minutes after his introduction.
Soccernet gives a rating of the players’ performances.
Maduka Okoye, 3/10: Okoye could have done better. The goal from the Tunisians was due to his mistake. Although he made one good save in the game, his failure to keep out Youssef Msakni’s strike cost Nigeria.
William Troost-Ekong, 5.5/10: The Super Eagles captain failed to marshall his lads properly. Nigeria looked shaky in defence, especially after the red card. He hardly offered anything upfront, unlike the previous games.
Kenneth Omeruo, 5.5/10: Omeruo had an average game. A few times, he was beaten for pace, and he, alongside his partner Troost-Ekong looked shaky, especially after the red card.
Ola Aina, 6.0/10: Aina was good in defence. However, unlike the first two games when the Torino man pushed up the pitch to support the attack, he only started to make forward runs after Nigeria conceded. He also looked shaky in some parts of the second half.
Zaidu Sanusi, 5.5/10: The Porto man was very conservative, he offered a few good runs in attack, but they were ineffective. He was also a bit questionable, as he was caught wanting in some defensive situations.
Joe Aribo, 6/10: Aribo had a good game, but he failed to offer much in attack. His passing was good, but he was conservative, especially in the first half.
Wilfred Ndidi, 6/10: Ndidi was good in midfield, he was a bit conservative, but he still made his presence felt with his timely tackles and interceptions. However, he could have done more to prevent Msakni’s goal.
Kelechi Iheanacho, 5/10: The Leicester City man had an average showing. He hardly added any bite in attack and had only a yellow card to show for his time on the pitch.
Moses Simon, 5.5/10: Simon was caged in the game. He hardly offered anything upfront because each time he had the ball, he had three Tunisians on him. His crosses were good, but they amounted to nought.
Taiwo Awoniyi, 5/10: Awoniyi was hardly seen in the fixture. Compared to the games against Egypt and Sudan, the Union Berlin man was quite static upfront. The few times he had the ball, he struggled to produce anything.
Samuel Chukwueze, 5.5/10: Chukwueze did not offer much in attack. He failed to beat any Tunisian defender and struggled to impose himself in the fixture.
Substitutes
Alex Iwobi, 3/10: It was a horror show from the Everton man. He got his marching orders barely five minutes after his introduction.
Peter Olayinka, 5/10: The Slavia Prague man did not offer much in attack. He was isolated and hardly linked well with the midfield.
Sadiq Umar, 6/10: Umar was unarguably the best attacker that featured for Nigeria on the night. His introduction added some bite to the Nigeria attack. He made some good runs. However, his finishing was still poor.