The heat generated by last weekend Super Eagles-Harambe Stars World Cup qualifiers showdown which ended in a 1-1 draw at the J.U. Esuene Stadium in Calabar is far from subsiding as two renowned Port Harcourt based sports and social commentators have attributed the outcome of the match to complacency on the part of the Super Eagles.
Reacting minutes after the match, the President of Goldashe United Football Club of Port Harcourt, Mr. Fubara Kingsley Hart described the encounter as vexatious, even though he praised the boys for their last minute gallantry which resulted in the equalizer.
According to Hart, the Stephen Keshi boys were apparently overwhelmed with their Nations Cup feat and went about the World Cup qualifying match with complete complacency.
“It was blatantly obvious from the blast of the whistle that Eagles took the Kenyans for granted. They forgot that there are no more minnows in African football. That game has exposed the Super Eagles to the fact that they still have a lot of home work on their hands. Keshi sure has a lot more work to do” said Hart, a Director of Finance and Administration at the Government House, Port Harcourt.
Fubara Kingsley Hart also described the Saturday encounter as ‘kill joy’, as according to him, the shocking outcome came at the time Nigerians were basking in the euphoric of Nations Cup glory victory.
In his own reaction, Professor Solomon Braide of the Rivers State University of Science and Technology, (RSUST), Port Harcourt, averred that although the draw still placed the Super Eagles at the top of their group, it was a huge price for under rating an opponent.
“The Eagles probably reasoned that history was going to be repeated since the records show that Kenya had never beaten Nigeria in the past, or is it the invincibility of the Calabar Stadium? Could it also be attributed to the FIFA’s ratings of the two countries?” Braide demanded.
Prof. Braide who heads the Information and Communication Technology department of RSUST urged the Eagles to approach its subsequent matches, whether friendly or competitive with the dexterity of a champion rather than looking down on the opponent.
“Keshi and his team should set their eyes on the world Cup. They should fight like wounded lions with the remaining qualifying matches just like we saw them do during the Nations Cup” he said.
Prof. Braide also cautioned against what he called ‘unwise’ introduction of new players into the core Nations Cup winning squad, adding that the introduction of Obafemi Martins whom he said had not properly blended with the team was, to him ‘unwise decision.’###
