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Super Eagles coach Jose Peseiro has now lost seven (7) of his last 10 matches as a coach for Nigeria and Venezuela.
It was another round of disappointment and heartbreak from the Nigeria Super Eagles to Nigerians at the now notorious MKO Abiola International Stadium in Abuja.
After the 2022 FIFA World Cup loss to neighbours Ghana at the same stadium last year, the Nigeria Super Eagles were hoping to make amends in Jose Peseiro’s home debut as coach.
It was more of the same, however, at the end as the visitors, Guinea-Bissau, said ‘not today’ in a shock 1-0 win during their AFCON 2023 qualifiers on Friday evening.
Your number one online sports platform, Pulse Sports Nigeria, was in attendance in the nation’s capital to cover that painful defeat.
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19:08 - 24.03.2023
AFCON 2023 Nigeria 0-1 Guinea-Bissau: Super Eagles suffer embarassing home defeat
The Super Eagles found creative new ways to disappoint Nigerians by losing 1-0 at home to Guinea-Bissau.
Take a look at these observations from our man, Izuchukwu Akawor, who was on the ground at the pitch side during the ill-fated encounter.
Nigeria Super Eagles lacked intelligence
This was the most palpable observation, especially in the final third where the lack of cutting edge was painful to watch as Guinea-Bissau snatched all three points from the Nigeria Super Eagles in Abuja.
The Super Eagles played like a team that came to the pitch without a plan, led by Villarreal star, Samuel Chukwueze and his dribbling.
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23:30 - 24.03.2023
AFCON 2023 'We were lucky against Super Eagles' — Guinea Bissau coach
Guinea Bissau's Baciro Cande insists his side were only lucky to beat the Super Eagles
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Flanked by Chukwueze to the right and Ademola Lookman to the left, Napoli forward, Victor Osimhen was a bag of frustration for 90 minutes.
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09:22 - 26.03.2023
ANALYSIS Osimhen's timing: Will the Super Eagles forward ever get it right?
Nigeria’s top marksman was flagged offside multiple times against Guinea-Bissau, underscoring a continued weakness in his game.
In and around the Guinea-Bissau goal area, there was no sign from the Super Eagles that they had a plan coming into the game and not even the introduction of Paul Onuachu changed that.
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At some point in the game, Osimhen could smell a goal and screamed at the top of his voice for substitute Onuachu set up a knock-down header inside the Guinea-Bissau box.
It would have been an easy go at goal from Osimhen, but Onuachu’s displayed a clear lack of intelligence at that crucial moment.
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08:10 - 25.03.2023
SUPER EAGLES Peseiro's lack of conviction and composure is betraying an exciting crop
The Portuguese coach is achieving the impossible: he is somehow making an abundance of attacking talent not only ineffective, but tedious to watch
Lack of creativity and service
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If I say that Osimhen was frustrated, I would be putting things benignly because the 24-year-old fan favourite in Naples was livid.
For 90 minutes, Osimhen struggled to see any chance bar the one he missed in the first half (honestly, he should have scored that).
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The Super Eagles wingers who were meant to be part of the creative department on the day, Chukwueze and Lookman, had a ridiculous off day.
While Chukwueze was only interested in dribbling, in which he attempted 11 and completed just five (5), the 23-year-old showed no signs of being the player who has provided 11 assists in all competitions this season for his LaLiga club, Villarreal.
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For the duration of his time on the pitch, the wide forward was not interested in passing to anyone, a situation that once again left Osimhen in pain.
Meanwhile, his opposite number, Lookman, as I pen this note, I’d bet that he was not invited at all for the Super Eagles match against Guinea-Bissau.
Jose Peseiro’s substitutions
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I still don't understand what the Portuguese manager did with his subs in the second half, especially the introduction of Onuachu.
After the first 45 minutes, the duo of Paul Onuachu and Moses Simon warmed up while others were back in the dressing room. It was obvious Peseiro was going to make substitutions and he did.
Moses came on for Lookman while Onuachu replaced Leicester City man, Kelechi Iheanacho, another forward who had an off day.
Now, before the changes, it was obvious that creativity and service had been the biggest issue for the Super Eagles in the opening 45 minutes.
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While Ligue 1-based Moses added a much-needed bite on the left than the man he changed, Lookman, still lacked the necessary end product to make the requisite difference. But at least he was much better than Lookman.
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09:50 - 25.03.2023
ANALYSIS Uzoho got more stick, but cardinal sin cost Nigeria against Guinea-Bissau
The much-maligned Super Eagles goalkeeper was criticised for the away side’s winning goal despite a basic error letting the team down.
Onuachu’s substitution was clearly to add to Osimhen’s frustration. The Napoli man is known who his aerial prowess, so, the Super Eagles needed more creative outlets not a giant to head the ball - which ball I might ask?
For the 45 minutes he was on the pitch, Onuachu rather than help the team, added to Osimhen’s pain points and twice denied him a clear sight of goal with his overzealous headers.
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Then, there is Ahmed Musa, the skipper who is in the team to add experience. 1-0 down, in need of a more creative outlet, the 30-year-old in the team to guide his younger colleagues was handed three minutes after he replaced the underwhelming Chukwueze, who for some reason was allowed to play 87 minutes.
On a day the Super Eagles needed to make a statement after the disastrous outing in Abuja against Ghana, the team ended up justifying why many of the fans who came to watch the 2022 World Cup qualifier last year, decided to ditch the Guinea-Bissau game with a rudderless performance.
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