Abdullahi Bewene: 2 impressive qualities Nigerian showed in goalless Sparta Prague draw

Super Eagles defender Abdullahi Bewene caught the attention of Sparta Prague’s Martin Suchomel during Baník Ostrava’s draw against the Czech giants on Sunday.

Bewene started the game at right wing-back for Roman Skuhravý’s side as they held Sparta to a 0-0 draw in their Czech First League encounter at the Městský stadion, a rather rare occurrence as Sparta Prague have won nine of their last 10 games against Baník Ostrava.

The result ended Sparta’s run of three consecutive league victories, while Baník secured a valuable point after producing a much-improved performance, although they’ve still won just one of their last five games.

Although neither side found the breakthrough, Bewene made a positive impression against one of the Czech Republic’s established clubs.

His display stood out in his direct battle with Suchomel, who acknowledged the difficulty of dealing with the Nigerian.

2 Abdullahi Bewene qualities that stood out against Sparta Prague

1. Bewene’s pace troubled Sparta’s defence

Bewene’s speed was one of the qualities that caught Suchomel’s attention.

“He’s a quick player with excellent technical ability,” the Sparta defender said in quotes revealed by Sport.cz.

Suchomel recalled a first-half incident when Bewene pushed the ball past him and sped past him, admitting that he should have handled the situation better.

“I remember one moment in the first half when he knocked the ball past me and got away from me. I should have dealt with that situation better,” the 24-year-old added.

The admission underlined the problems Bewene’s pace caused Sparta on the flank.

Bewene’s pace gave Baník an outlet when progressing the ball, while his willingness to take on his direct opponent offered the hosts another route forward, an attribute highlighted by Slavia Prague coach Jindřich Trpišovský after watching Bewene up close.

2. His technical ability and defensive work stood out

Suchomel’s praise was not limited to Bewene’s speed. He also highlighted the Nigerian’s technical quality.

The Sparta defender admitted that he had expected a difficult contest, but what he met was a shocker.

“I knew what to expect from him, but I think I defended well at times,” Suchomel said.

Bewene’s contribution was not restricted to just attacking situations, either. He also recorded one interception, one clearance and four recoveries, winning five of his six ground duels and was not dribbled past.

Those numbers point to a useful combination of defensive awareness and physical attributes.

Winning ground duels helped him deal with Sparta’s attempts to progress down his side, while his recoveries contributed to Baník’s efforts to keep the visitors at bay.

Bewene gives Baník another option

The 0-0 result was not enough to give Baník all three points, but Bewene’s display was a huge positive.

Earning recognition from an opponent who faced him directly also offered a measure of how difficult he was to contain.

His pace, technical ability and defensive contribution will be important qualities to build on as he continues his development in Czech football.

For Eric Chelle, those attributes will be one he’ll want to put to good use when Nigeria play against Tanzania next month.