Hypertension Eagles!

• Knocks for wasteful €350m Eagles after E'Guinea stalemate

The Super Eagles began their quest for a fourth AFCON title in Ivory Coast on the wrong foot on Sunday, settling for a 1-1 draw against Equatorial Guinea in their first game of the 2023 tournament at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Abidjan, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

Victor Osimhen scored his first Africa Cup of Nations goal for Nigeria but it was only as good as saving the blushes of the Eagles after the Nzalang Nacional had scored first.

Equatorial Guinea's only shot on goal resulted in their goal from Iban Salvador, who left Stanley Nwabali motionless in the Nigerian goal with a well-placed low finish. Nigeria, however, responded through Osimhen a minute later with the striker rising highest at the near post to powerfully head home Ademola Lookman's teasing cross as the game ended 1-1 going into the break.

Perhaps trying to make amends for his pre-match boasts after conceding against Osimhen, goalkeeper Jesus Owono made several stunning second-half saves to deny Nigeria the win.

Beyond the scoreline, there was so much gulf in class between both sides in terms of squad value and FIFA rankings, but that was merely left on paper, while the main business was done on the pitch.

While it is no longer news that the Eagles are the most valuable team at the AFCON with an approximated worth of €350m, their opponents are a far cry behind at just €10m – not even up to 10 per cent of Osimhen's €120m value.

The highest valued player for Equatorial Guinea is Las Palmas centre-back, Saúl Coco, who is valued at €3m, followed by Monza central midfielder, José Machín at €1.4m.

Right-back of Nigerian descent, Carlos Akapo, at €1m is the third highest valued player in coach Juan Obiang's squad while goal scorer Salvador is only worth €350,000. The lowest valued player in the squad is Néstor Senra at €25,000.

Aside from money, in the latest FIFA rankings, which were released December 21, 2023, the Nzalang Nacional is ranked 18th in Africa, 12 places behind the underwhelming Eagles, who are ranked sixth on the continent.

Unsurprisingly, the stalemate against Equatorial Guinea came with heavy criticisms from Nigerians.

South-Africa-based Nigerian goalkeeper, Daniel Akpeyi, described the game as disappointing.

“I think it was a very disappointing second half particularly. They didn't start it so well and there was no urgency. And again if you are not clinical in front of the goal, then it will come back to haunt you. I'm sure the players feel bad right now that they couldn't take all the chances they had,” Akpeyi said after the game.

2013 AFCON winner, Brown Ideye, also questioned the team's setup during the game. “I think the team needed a player close to Victor Osimhen, maybe switch to 4-4-2 in the last 20 minutes. (Alhassan) Yusuf was my Man of The Match,” he posted after the game.

However, there was something to cheer about the same day after the Falconets, Nigeria's U-20 women's side, beat Burundi 1-0 in the first leg of their final qualifying round of the U-20 Women's World Cup in Dar es Salaam.

Janet Akekoromowei scored from the penalty spot in added time in the first half to edge Nigeria closer to qualifying for the World Cup in Colombia later this year.

Reacting to the victory on the NGSuper_Falcons X handle, some elated fans hailed the young girls for their efforts while labelling the country's senior men's national team “hypertension Eagles.”

IBM Republic wrote, “Thank you Falconets. No be all this hypertension Eagles.”

Tochukwu William added, “Better than these dreadlocks freaks roaming around against Equatorial Guinea.”

Aniyikaye thanked the girls for making the country's football faithful smile on Sunday afternoon.

“Thanks girls for putting smiles on the faces of Nigerians.”

“Always representing, hardly ever disappointing, the girls I'll sit and watch with full confidence, not those old men who call themselves super chickens that look all tired and retired, playing more for their pockets than they country,” Christopher Fitdad tweeted.

Samodinho Awobajo cheekily wrote, “The only Nigerian team that matters.”

An X user, ESoft, opined that money spent on the Eagles should be diverted to the girls.

He said, “The money they are spending for Super Eagles should be spent on the female teams.”

Proud of the girls, Tolulope tweeted, “Our women always making us proud. I don't understand the men's football team and the nonsense they always play.”

Martins took a swipe at the Eagles by saying, “Maybe we should ban men's football in Nigeria.”