Super Eagles coach Jose Peseiro is still struggling to achieve positive results in friendly matches, even though the 2-2 draw against Saudi Arabia was an improvement compared to the previous four games, all of which ended in losses.
Two own goals, the second at the death, denied Nigeria a victory over the Roberto Mancini-led side. The major lesson will be the inadequacy of some invited players for the task ahead.
Below are the players’ ratings.
Francis Uzoho, 90 minutes, 3/10
The fact that a looping cross can beat a goalkeeper who stands at 1.98 meters and palms the ball directly into his own net is something that cannot be easily explained. We knew we had a goalkeeper challenge with the Super Eagles, but Uzoho’s gaffe elevated the challenge to ‘we don’t have a goalkeeper that will help win a fourth AFCON title. The most important attribute of good goalkeepers is their consistency, but Uzoho has consistently shown he is prone to gaffes. The gaze directed at the…