Nigeria squeezed past Libya in their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier on Friday.
It ended 1-0. The full-time score might have reflected a tight encounter. But it was not.
The Super Eagles dominated most of the match played at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
However, they failed to threaten the visitors, whose game plan was to stay compact and try to get something on the break.
The Libyans also feigned injuries and employed every other tricks in the book to waste time and delay the game.
But, really, it was up to the Eagles to impose their evident superiority, disrupt their shape and create spaces.
“It was a boring game and it didn’t really bolster any confidence whatsoever,” Nwosu Michael Izuchukwu, a podcaster and digital marketer, tells DAILY POST.
“But we got the win through the Dele-Bashiru goal. I can only hope that it pushes us to go to Benghazi and secure another three points.”
What the game proved sufficiently, is that the injured Victor Osimhen is a technical leader of the team.
Osimhen, who is currently on loan with Galatasaray, does not only score goals but he leads the rest from front, in terms of pressing and intensity.
These are qualities Boniface lacks.
In the three AFCON 2025 qualifiers he has started for the Eagles so far, the Bayer Leverkusen man has failed to score a single goal.
After the match, Eguavoen claimed it was down to the speed of execution.
“Boniface needs to make quick decisions, I think he will start scoring soon,” Eguavoen said.
But Izuchukwu argues that the forward is not being used correctly.
He said: “I honestly think he’s not being profiled right.
“Boniface is brilliant player. But he’s not Osimehn and that needs to be factored into the game plan when he starts up top for the Super Eagles.”
This brings the issue of Eguavoen’s tactical nous.
In the three fixtures he has taken charge of during his latest stint, he has recorded two wins and one draw.
But some of Eguavoen’s ideas, tactical set-up and in-game management has left a lot to be desired.
“I’m not the biggest fan of his approach to this game,” Izuchukwu adds.
“But we got out chances and if we were better in front of goal it would have been a different story.
“That being said, he needs to sort that midfield out cause the trio of Iwobi, Onyeka and Ndidi is not looking like the answer.”
Nigeria play Libya again in the reverse fixture in three days.
After that game, there will a decision to be made on Eguavoen continuing in his interim capacity.
Izuchukwu says: “Honestly, in my opinion, they need to make a decision whether to trust him with the job full time or appoint someone else pronto.
“Because this team needs to find some balance and better understanding going into 2025 before the AFCON.”
