Nigeria vs South Africa (1-1) Ekong, Mokoena 4-2 PK

[ojafranpa]

How can you as a team give all the initiative to your opponent and we said we have the superior players.

They are not "giving" anything. This is a semi final match for crying out loud. Did yall expect SA to come here and bend over?

[maceo4]

Thing is Vic and the front 3 don’t have the energy to press high today so they are allowing these balls to get dropped behind our ‘slow’ CBs. Our strategy falls apart if we can’t press high to prevent those passes. I hope the coach changes something, but we wont survive these constant balls over the top…

[Odas]

Lol we will beat South Africa

I hope you are correct, Tobi17; else I don't like what I am seeing in this game. Why did our coach not use our rampaging 3-5-2 format?

[Sleaky72]

Lukeman and Simon are not playing like the played in previous matches. They are not falling back enough and that's making Onyeka running all over chasing balls trying to cover ground. Lukeman and Simon should fall back more to assist him

Add Onyeka who has been clueless to the list, and Osimhen who is clearly not a hundred percent.
Lazy analysts quickly pouncing on the coach, as if he can walk on the field and play for these players

[tedder89]

Conditions are much better than in Abidjan; humidity is much lower yet we are not pressing the SA defenders

They have so much time to pass the ball around or play the long ball or diagonal

[Enyi]

At the water break, Brooz changed his tactics. Moved Tau to the space between Ajayi and Osayi. And they are dropping over head passes in that space, with their number 9 hanging around for second balls.

He did change the press/shape also

I think we need Omeruo so he can move Aina to right

Can’t agree more….Aina is killing us in the left

[mapet]

1. Iwobi is not getting us forward.
2. Osayi is loosing his positions and allowing SAs to either close him down, or getting behind him
3. Balls are not getting to our wingers enough

[Tobi17]

Both teams have played below par tbh, we definitely need to tweak that formation now and play a 3 man midfield.

[oscar52]

Omo see schooling in footy. They were literally toiling with the SE. Zaidu needs to come on for Osayi and chukweze for Iwobi. I knew the SE where overhyped and a decent team will expose them but not this bad. They need a no nonsense defender like Zaidu in that defense before things completely fall apart.

[danfo driver]

This is what I meant by drilled sequences. South Africa'song balls are not speculative. That is pure tactics. The way they deliver their long balls is dangerous. They loft it rather than direct it. Over the defense and the striker times the point of interception.

A Nigerian long ball would be hit more direct and easily cut out.

This South Africans are playing with a lot of intelligence.

Yup!!!

But dont worry, when this match is over, and we win, Nigerians will come and tell us how Peseiro is the best thing since sliced bread

[davidbam14]

The defense is not the same like before

Zaidu’s absence and Aina playing on the left.

Are you saying SE is missing Zaidu?

yes we are. big time

It hurts to say it but we miss sanusi, we need to move Aina back and bring in omereo

[oscar52]

Omo see schooling in footy. They were literally toiling with the SE. Zaidu needs to come on for Osimhen and chukweze for Iwobi. I knew the SE where overhyped and a decent team will expose them but not this bad. They need a no nonsense defender like Zaidu in that defense before things completely fall apart.

[mutiman]

Without Zaidu, the formation seems flat!

I disagree. I highly doubt Zaidu makes a difference. They just have to adjust to the south African style of play. It requires a ton of patience and to avoid committing early. The SA's are just passing and moving. while we chase shadows. Let them do all that passing, close passing lanes and hit them when they inevitably make a mistake.

our current highline is a disaster waiting to happen

Zaidu or another left-back makes a ton of difference. The balance is just not there, if they had taken one of their chances we'd be chasing the game now. That is NOT where we want to be, especially with heat and the fact they're a counter attacking team.

[Lolly]

The defense is not the same like before

Zaidu’s absence and Aina playing on the left.

Are you saying SE is missing Zaidu?

Missing him and missing Aina on the right. Notice Aina is not himself on the left and Osayi is not confident bombing forward.

[Tbite]

In terms of the attack, Nigeria has a bad habit of letting the defenders sit. Why let them sit? Play the pass when they are still out of position. Don't dwell on the ball. South Africa's press is more effective because they don't sit on the ball.

[donadoni]

Apart from poor passes/touches our main issue is lack of intensity. And in a way they are related - when you are playing with intensity you tend to be sharper with your pass completion. Oshimen was really struggling to play his normal game and so we lacked that high press and hustle we have had. But he seemed to come back to life in the few mins of the half. Let’s see

[Enugu II]

Lukeman and Simon are not playing like the played in previous matches. They are not falling back enough and that's making Onyeka running all over chasing balls trying to cover ground. Lukeman and Simon should fall back more to assist him

Add Onyeka who has been clueless to the list, and Osimhen who is clearly not a hundred percent.
Lazy analysts quickly pouncing on the coach, as if he can walk on the field and play for these players

I think Onyeka has done reasonably well, on the contrary. However, he has conceded some FKs but is that not his style? LOL.

[Kabalega]

These S. Africans are useless. Cape Verde would have scored two goals by now. The S. Africans will rue not scoring when Nigeria scores one goal and parks in front of goal even more.

Anyway, these are the least generous defenses so expect a 1-0 score line or penalties.
Hopefully, one team will get tired and another will take advantage.

[airwolex]

We will do well to win this match. They are dropping the ball on our right and we are not winning the first ball.

[txj]

Easily our worst performance so far in this tournament. South Africa is playing as I expected but our levels have dropped from previous games. Osimhen is playing like he's saving his energy unless the stomach cramps early in the game is slowing him down. The effort is there from the players but they aren't playing well as a team compared to the prior 2 or 3 games which has allowed SA to string some passes together. Also, we need to keep an eye out on their long passes from the back.

I'm not a fan of playing half fit players.

You can see a difference in our press. We need to pressure the defenders a little more to better control the long balls over the top, OR push up a little more

[tolahs]

One sided - Very. S.A gets into shape very fast in transition taking away any counterattacks plus we're not quick passers of the ball. We need a little tampering with our formation

[Enyi]

1. Iwobi is not getting us forward.
2. Osayi is loosing his positions and allowing SAs to either close him down, or getting behind him
3. Balls are not getting to our wingers enough

Nothing to do with Iwobi….

Osayi and Aina are killing us…. Swap Osayi with Omeruo… return Aina to the Right.

Osayi is being targeted

[olu]

Again we are sitting to deep and allowing SA too much possession.