The Super Eagles missed an opportunity to qualify for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations following their disappointing goalless draw against Sierra Leone at the Siaka Stevens Stadium in Freetown on Tuesday evening.

In a reversal of what happened in the first leg in Benin City, when they scored four goals, the defenders managed to keep their first clean sheet in eight matches but the strikers were wasteful in front of goal.

Here are four things we spotted from the goalless draw against the Leone Stars :

1. A Game of Two Halves

The Super Eagles were cautious in the first half of the he match while Sierra Leone held the aces but it was the Eagles who were the better and more purposeful side in the second half.

2. Eagles Defence Struggled Aerially

Despite the presence of some very tall defenders, Gernot Rohr's boys still were unable to cut out the attacking threats from the hosts' aerial bombardments.

3. Spurious Officiating

The Super Eagles were presented with some goal scoring chances in the game but rather bizarrely the referred in the game stopped play at times.

The Eagles' 45th minute corner after some exciting moment in the opposition penalty area was not taken before the break.

4. Rohr's Substitution Decisions

Coach Gernot Rohr continued to ire his critics as most of his substitutions were rather reactionary than proactive like the injury to Etebo when Shehu Abdullahi came on.

The introduction of Emmanuel Dennis should have come a bit earlier as the team chased an elusive goal.


Izuchukwu Okosi