A cross-section of football fans in Enugu says they were disappointed by the Super Eagles
on Friday in a 2021 AFCON qualifier in Benin City to draw 4-4 with Sierra Leone.
The football enthusiasts who spoke with Nigeria’s News
Agency described the match’s outcome as an unfortunate loss.”
Boniface Onovo, director of the State Ministry of Youth and Sports of Enugu, said the
outcome of the match did not speak well about the level of football in the country.
”The outcome is not a good result, since Nigeria cannot beat a team like Sierra Leone.
”This result showed that the country’s football is in retrogression and something needed to be done.
”It is a big shame to Nigeria, considering the calibre of players the coach featured in the match,” he said
Dan Onwuegbuna, the Public Relations Officer of the Enugu State Ministry of Youth
and Sports, also said the outcome of the match was a disappointing one.
”What a nonsense! It is embarrassing. How can you score four goals against a a team and you allow them to equalise?
”With this kind of result, we are not likely to come away from Sierra Leone with a respectable result on Tuesday.
”But I believe the changes made at the beginning of the second half of the match by the coach affected the outcome,” he said.
Onwuegbuna, however, urged the coaches of the team to offer home-based players opportunities
to succeed in view of the fact that overseas-based players have begun to disappoint.
Lofty Uche, the coach of Obiagu’s Golden Stars FC amateur team, said the Super Eagles
coaches still have a lot of work to do ahead of the game on Tuesday.
”Though the coaches committed a blunder, and that is part of football, but such is pardonable in football.
”However, with the experience they now have, I believe the Eagles will get a win in the second leg.
”The players have now known the strength of their opponents. So, they will up their game in the return leg,” Uche said.
NAN estimates that Nigeria still leads Group L
of the Qualifiers with seven points, despite the result.
They are followed by three points for Benin Republic and
two points for Sierra Leone and one point for Lesotho.
On Tuesday, when they visit Sierra Leone in Freetown in a
Match Day 4 fixture, the Super Eagles will begin in the Qualifiers.
SOURCE: NNN
