Seychelles 0 Vs 3 Nigeria: Super Eagles did just enough to take 3 points in AFCON 2019 qualifier

The Super Eagles didn’t have to do much to get away with three points in the game. And they didn’t.

Just enough. Not really in top gear, played at a snail pace, not what fans at home were expecting to see, but at the end of the day the Super Eagles of Nigeria got all the three points with a 3-0 win away at Seychelles in a 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier.

Some questioned why Gernot Rohr had to call on his main players for the game after all the game was against Seychelles whose players weren’t even full-time footballers.

But after that shocking 0-2 home loss to South Africa in Matchday one of the qualifiers, Rohr was leaving no chances for another shocker.

 

‘Mismatch’ was the word to describe the game, so the Super Eagles didn’t have to do much to get away with three points in the game. And they didn’t do.

They started the brighter side with Ahmed Musa-captain of the day- continuing his good form from the 2018 FIFA World Cup, threatening with his pace.

It took nine minutes before the Super Eagles got their first shot on target as Wilfred Ndidi’s effort was headed out for a corner.

Two minutes later, debutant Samuel Kalu danced his way through the Seychelles defence but his effort was saved by the goalkeeper.

Ogenyi Onazi, back in the Super Eagles starting XI for the first time since Nigeria’s 1-2 loss to England in a 2018 World Cup warm-up game, saw his effort over the bar.

In the 15th minute, the Super Eagles got their first goal from a rasping Musa shot which hit the crossbar but bounced off the Seychelles goalkeeper into the net.

Shortly after, defender Chidozie Awaziem doubled Nigeria’s lead, reacting the quickest to finish inside an empty net after a Kelechi Iheanacho freekick had come off after hitting the post.

 

It was all Super Eagles at this point as Seychelles struggled against their more illustrious opponents.

Odion Ighalo would have made it 3-0 but with only the goalkeeper to beat, the striker’s lob was too high.

In the second half, the Super Eagles took their feet off the gas as Seychelles became sharper, running at the Nigerian defence at every given opportunity.

In the 55th minute, Musa had space in the Seychelles box to shoot but his effort was saved by the goalkeeper.

Two minutes later, Kalu was felled in the Seychelles box to get a penalty which was converted by Ighalo.

The Seychelles defence did well to stop Ighalo from scoring another five minutes later while Musa narrowly missed in the 72nd minute.

Seychelles had some moments and asked questions of the Super Eagles defence. Nigeria were lucky not to concede after goalkeeper Francis Uzoho completely missed the ball after rushing out of his area, luckily the Seychelles player's effort went over the bar.