Nigeria: Obuh Blames Strikers Over 2-0 Loss to Portugal – Says No Excuse for Defeat

Daily Independent (Lagos)

21 July 2011

Flying Eagles coach, Sam Obuh, is blaming his strikers for the team’s 2-0 loss to Portugal in the ongoing Copa de la Republica in Panama City Wednesday, saying that there was no reason for the loss.

The team in three consecutive matches has failed to score a goal, even as the coach said that the team paid the price for failing to put away begging chances that came its way in the match.

He also admitted that poor marksmanship has become a cause for serious concern.

“The problem was that we did not put away the chances we created, especially in the first half, where we ought to have scored at least two goals,” said Obuh.

“They got theirs and buried them.

“We used this game to experiment a few things and I am glad I saw those things I was looking for,” he said.

Gbenga Arokoyo shone in defence, while there was a great improvement in the team’s overall performance as the players played with confidence and attacked with urgency.

Last Wednesday, Nigeria and Portugal played 0-0 in Lisbon as part of the teams’ World Cup build-up in Colombia, which kicks off next week.

Edafe Egbedi threw away the biggest chance of this rematch on 36 minutes when he lobbed the ball over the bar with an empty net facing him.

Ahmed Musa and Bright Ejike came in for Egbedi and Chidi Osuchukwu respectively to beef up the team upfront.

But two-goal hero, Nelson Oliveira, scored in the 55th minute when he beat onrushing skipper and goalkeeper Danjuma Paul on a fast counter after a Chimezie Mbah mistake in the Portugal half of the pitch.

Flying Eagles attacked in search of an equaliser as Sani Emmanuel and Terna Suwan were also introduced.

However, just when it looked like the African champions could get something out of this contest, Oliveira struck again in the 67th minute when he headed home off a corner.

Musa solo run in the 78th minute and another substitute, Uche Nwofor, came very close but his powerful shot from inside the box sailed over the bar.

Meanwhile, Obuh has said there were no excuses for the loss.

“There are no excuses for the loss. We lost fair and square,” Obuh told the players on Thursday.

“Defeat is part of the game and so we have to take our loss to Portugal in good faith.

“We made mistakes tactically and we paid dearly for those mistakes, but the problem will be if we do not rise above these mistakes and be better for it in our next game.”

“The players will have to really search themselves whether they gave everything that was expected of them in this match, both as individuals and also as part of the whole team,” said Obuh.

He also tasked the players over dead ball situations as they did not make any headway from the numerous free kicks they won around the Portuguese box.

“You do not only score goals through direct play but also from dead ball situations and we did not apply this thinking against Portugal,” he said.

Nigeria plays its final build-up game against Mexico on Friday night.

All four teams in this tournament will feature at the FIFA U-20 World Cup, beginning July 29.

The Flying Eagles, made up of 21 players and 10 officials, is expected to fly out to Bogota, Colombia, on Sunday from Panama City after intensive training in Portugal and Panama.

It is drawn in Group D along with Croatia, Saudi Arabia and Guatemala.

Its opening first round match is against Guatemala on July 31 in Armenia.

The match will kick off 3pm Colombian time, which is 10pm Nigerian time as Colombia is seven hours behind Nigeria.

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