SUDDENLY, the raging optimism of the Super Eagles winning the World Cup in Brazil hit all time low on Wednesday after their 2-2 draw with Scotland at the Craven Cottage, London.
The Super Eagles came from behind twice to force the Tartan Army to a 2-2 draw after goals by Charlie Mulgrew and Azubuike Egwuekwe’s own goal were denied victory by substitute Uche Nwofor’s stoppage-time strike.
Ex-international, Peter Rufai who reviewed the match yesterday with special focus on goalkeeper Austine Ejide prayed that nothing happens to number one goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama at the World Cup to warrant the coaches calling Ejide to duty for the Eagles.
‘’We pray that nothing happens to Enyeama to warrant a change’’, Rufai said at ‘’We are Brazil’’ conference by Supersport in Lagos yesterday.
Ejide, who before his calamitous outing on Wednesday had been rated higher than Vincent Enyeama put up a below average performance that at one point, he palmed the ball into his own net with Scotland 1-0 ahead in the first-half. Thanks to referee Lee Probert who disallowed the goal for a supposed push.
Apparently not wanting to crucify the goalkeeper, Rufai pleaded for time assuring that ‘’there is no cause for alarm’’.
‘’It happens in football. Ejide is a fine goalkeeper. All goalkeepers go through that at one stage or the other’’, Rufai said recalling how jittery he used to be when called to take over from number one goalkeepers in his club.
Also looking at the Super Eagles opponents in the World Cup, Rufai confessed that he dreaded meeting Argentina in his days. ‘’Argentina play different football from what obtains in Europe. They always have outstanding players who move zig-zag to confuse their opponents.
‘’Once they hold the ball, they will come to you in a zig-zag formation. I will be marshalling orders to the defenders but those ones will be confused because they move in a zig-zag formation’’, he said to a sporadic laughter.
But he noted that coach Stephen Keshi was up to their tricks in the World Cup in Brazil. Nigeria will face Iran, Bosnia-Hezergovina before their last match with Argentina in the group games.
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