Super Eagles: 5 players who could benefit from Nigeria’s latest setback

The Super Eagles of Nigeria’s humiliating 3-0 defeat to Guinea-Bissau on Tuesday has left Eric Chelle with plenty of questions to answer, Afrik-Foot reports.

The Super Eagles followed up their narrow 2-1 victory over Madagascar with a performance in Bissau that exposed problems in virtually every department.

Chelle admitted afterwards that Guinea-Bissau were the better team, while Nigeria struggled to match the hosts’ intensity and aggression. But the defeat could also create opportunities for players who were overlooked during the latest international window.

Here are five Super Eagles who could benefit from Nigeria’s latest setback.

1. Moses Usor

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Usor has arguably emerged from the international window with his reputation enhanced despite Nigeria’s defeat.

The 23-year-old scored on his Super Eagles debut against Madagascar and was one of the few Nigerian attackers to inject urgency into the game after coming on against Guinea-Bissau.

His introduction gave Nigeria more direct running and a willingness to attack defenders. That is important because Nigeria’s attack was desperately short of penetration in Bissau.

Akor Adams struggled as the central attacking reference, while Taiwo Awoniyi was substituted at half-time after failing to make an impact. Ademola Lookman also endured another frustrating outing.

Usor, by contrast, offered something different. He attacked space, carried the ball forward and was willing to take risks.

Chelle may now have to seriously consider whether the Austria-based winger has done enough to start the next competitive fixture.

2. George Ilenikhena

Ilenikhena’s stock should also rise after what happened in Bissau. The Al-Ittihad man scored on his Nigeria debut against Madagascar but was dropped to the bench for the Guinea-Bissau game, with Chelle opting for Adams and Awoniyi in attack. That decision did not work.

Adams struggled badly and was eventually replaced, while Awoniyi was taken off at half-time. Ilenikhena eventually came on late in the game but could not find a way back into it.

The missed opportunity means he cannot claim to have solved Nigeria’s attacking problems. But his performance against Madagascar remains significant.

At a time when Nigeria’s senior forwards are struggling to turn possession into goals, Chelle may be more willing to trust the younger striker who has already shown an ability to make an immediate impact.

3. Gift Orban

Orban could be one of the biggest beneficiaries of Nigeria’s attacking problems.

The Super Eagles have now gone through two qualifiers without finding a reliable attacking formula, and Chelle’s decision to start Adams and Awoniyi in Bissau did little to solve the problem.

Adams struggled for 76 minutes before being substituted, while Awoniyi lasted only the first half. That inevitably raises questions about the alternatives.

Orban offers a different profile. He is capable of playing through the middle but is also comfortable drifting into wider positions, giving Nigeria another option when opponents defend narrowly.

His biggest attraction, however, is his willingness to shoot. Nigeria spent long periods in Bissau struggling to create clear opportunities, and the lack of decisiveness around the penalty area became increasingly obvious as the game progressed.

Orban’s instinct is different. He is a forward who looks to attack the box and finish moves rather than simply participate in them.

The Guinea-Bissau defeat has made Nigeria’s attacking hierarchy less secure — and that could give Orban an opening.

4. Raphael Onyedika

Nigeria’s midfield was another major disappointment in Bissau. Wilfred Ndidi returned to the starting XI but struggled to impose himself, while Frank Onyeka failed to provide the intensity and progression Nigeria needed.

That could create an opening for Onyedika. The Club Brugge midfielder came on for Ndidi late in the match, when Nigeria were already two goals down and struggling to get back into the contest.

That was hardly an ideal environment in which to judge him. Onyedika needs a proper opportunity rather than a few minutes when a game is already slipping away.

His ability to cover ground, win duels and move the ball forward could give Chelle another profile in midfield. If the coach decides that Nigeria need more mobility and intensity in the centre of the pitch, Onyedika could be one of the biggest beneficiaries of the Bissau defeat.

5. Arthur Okonkwo

The goalkeeper position may be another area where Chelle could make a change. Nwabali started both qualifiers, but his performances have not completely settled the debate.

He made important interventions against Madagascar, but Nigeria conceded three times in Bissau as the Super Eagles suffered a damaging defeat.

Okonkwo, meanwhile, remained on the bench. The Wrexham goalkeeper has already enjoyed a perfect start to his senior Nigeria career, keeping clean sheets in his first two appearances against Zimbabwe and Jamaica.

That does not automatically make him the answer to Nigeria’s goalkeeping problem. But after Nigeria conceded four goals in their opening two qualifiers, Chelle has every reason to reconsider the hierarchy.

Okonkwo is also playing regularly at club level and remains a goalkeeper with plenty to prove. The Bissau defeat could therefore give Chelle the justification he needs to finally test him in a competitive match.