Super Eagles of Nigeria suffered a late disappointment to draw 1-1 against Zimbabwe at home in the 2026 world cup qualifiers, a result which has further slimmed their chances of making it out of their group as winners.
Captain of the Nigerian team William Troost-Ekong was culpable for the late goal conceded in that game, an error which he owned up to before his teammates after the game in Uyo.
His performance wasn’t quite inspirational especially for someone who was voted the Most Valuable Player (MVP) at the last AFCON in Cote d’Ivoire, a tournament he could have missed if not for a late change of mind by former coach Jose Peseiro.
” Ekong’s national team career was over. He wasn’t supposed to even be at the last AFCON. Peseiro felt he was too slow, and also not technical enough when it comes to his positioning and movements around the box”, one of Peseiro’s assistants told OwnGoalNigeria.com.
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” Credit to him because he came to the camp largely due to the fact that Peseiro wanted him as an option from the bench not as a starter, but the manner which he trained, and also played in test games forced a rethink especially with the combo of Semi Ajayi and Calvin Bassey not working”.
He however said after the first game against Equatorial Guinea at the tournament, they had an agreement to go with a back three to prevent Ekong from getting exposed due to his lack of pace and dwindling awareness.
” I will like to warn the new coach of the Super Eagles on playing Ekong in a back four. It’s never going to work. We noticed after the first game at the AFCON and decided to play him in back three with Calvin Bassey covering up for his lack of pace while Semi Ajayi doesn’t the same to compliment his poor awareness. That was how he won the MVP at the AFCON “, he concluded.
Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman
