Chris Maduewesi
Member
Nigeria's Super Eagles finally turned up and secured their first win in four matches to keep alive their hopes of qualifying for the 2015 African Nations Cup tournament.
No margin of slip-up would have been acceptable, as the Super Eagles were condemned to win.
And the Super Eagles players ended up doing the needful, beating Sudan 3-1 at the Abuja national stadium,which saw them leapfrog the Falcons of Jediane in the group.
A look at the result could be flattering, but the Super Eagles worked very hard to achieve it .
The Super Eagles were made to work their socks off for the win,some of the players toiled more than others, with the Sudanese not just coming to Abuja to make up the numbers.
Some players towered above the others, although it was a collective effort from the team to bag all three points.
Players like Omatsone Aluko,Aaron Samuel and Raheem Lawal proved their mettle,contributing their quota to the cause.
So,we have picked three players who really put themselves on the line to help shoot Nigeria to victory.
Ahmed Musa:
On a day the CSKA Moscow attacker was marking his birthday, Musa made sure he celebrated it nicely with two well taken goals that helped Nigeria to victory.
The brace was remarkable as the timing they were scored was equally very vital for the Super Eagles.
He was the star of the team and stepped up to the plate when he was needed the most.
The thing is that Musa is given less credit than he truly deserves, although he huffs and puffs some time,but he has really proven how valuable he can be to the team.
Musa was always looking to make runs and always trying to get behind Sudan's defence.
He got into spaces at the right time and made them count with his two goals of the night.
John Obi Mikel:
Against Sudan on Wednesday, the Chelsea midfielder played one his best games for the Super Eagles in the last one year.
Of late, Mikel has been churning out less than impressive performances, however against Sudan he took up some responsibilities.
Often vilified for his performances, Mikel has been something like a scapegoat each time Nigeria posts a bad game.
In Abuja he got closer to the opponent's 18-yard box and he also tried to create something in the middle of the park for the Super Eagles.
Mikel's best moment in the match came when he skillfully skipped past two players to pick a pass to Ahmed Musa for Nigeria's opening goal of the match.
And if he can constantly replicate such for the National team, then he will have less criticisms coming his way.
Hope Akpan:
Making his first appearance for the Super Eagles, the Reading FC player was one of the shining lights in the match.
He ran the channels and came very close to finding the net in the first half, but his eagerness to score saw him blaze his effort over the post.
Akpan fitted in perfectly alongside Raheem Lawal and Mikel in midfield and they complemented themselves perfectly.
Nosa Igiebor might be fearing for his place in the team watching the displays of Akpan in the game, his industry stood him out and his energy helped Nigeria win the game.
No margin of slip-up would have been acceptable, as the Super Eagles were condemned to win.
And the Super Eagles players ended up doing the needful, beating Sudan 3-1 at the Abuja national stadium,which saw them leapfrog the Falcons of Jediane in the group.
A look at the result could be flattering, but the Super Eagles worked very hard to achieve it .
The Super Eagles were made to work their socks off for the win,some of the players toiled more than others, with the Sudanese not just coming to Abuja to make up the numbers.
Some players towered above the others, although it was a collective effort from the team to bag all three points.
Players like Omatsone Aluko,Aaron Samuel and Raheem Lawal proved their mettle,contributing their quota to the cause.
So,we have picked three players who really put themselves on the line to help shoot Nigeria to victory.
Ahmed Musa:
On a day the CSKA Moscow attacker was marking his birthday, Musa made sure he celebrated it nicely with two well taken goals that helped Nigeria to victory.
The brace was remarkable as the timing they were scored was equally very vital for the Super Eagles.
He was the star of the team and stepped up to the plate when he was needed the most.
The thing is that Musa is given less credit than he truly deserves, although he huffs and puffs some time,but he has really proven how valuable he can be to the team.
Musa was always looking to make runs and always trying to get behind Sudan's defence.
He got into spaces at the right time and made them count with his two goals of the night.
John Obi Mikel:
Against Sudan on Wednesday, the Chelsea midfielder played one his best games for the Super Eagles in the last one year.
Of late, Mikel has been churning out less than impressive performances, however against Sudan he took up some responsibilities.
Often vilified for his performances, Mikel has been something like a scapegoat each time Nigeria posts a bad game.
In Abuja he got closer to the opponent's 18-yard box and he also tried to create something in the middle of the park for the Super Eagles.
Mikel's best moment in the match came when he skillfully skipped past two players to pick a pass to Ahmed Musa for Nigeria's opening goal of the match.
And if he can constantly replicate such for the National team, then he will have less criticisms coming his way.
Hope Akpan:
Making his first appearance for the Super Eagles, the Reading FC player was one of the shining lights in the match.
He ran the channels and came very close to finding the net in the first half, but his eagerness to score saw him blaze his effort over the post.
Akpan fitted in perfectly alongside Raheem Lawal and Mikel in midfield and they complemented themselves perfectly.
Nosa Igiebor might be fearing for his place in the team watching the displays of Akpan in the game, his industry stood him out and his energy helped Nigeria win the game.