Super Eagles: Asisat Oshoala lashes out at NFF for scapegoating Dessers after South Africa draw

Asisat Oshoala has hit out at the NFF after its official media report openly criticised Cyriel Dessers in the wake of the Super Eagles‘ 1-1 draw against South Africa in Bloemfontein. 

The Al-Hilal striker expressed her displeasure on Instagram, accusing the federation of setting up its own players for public ridicule. The six-time African Women’s Footballer of the Year, wrote: “SMH, it be your own people, instead of protecting your players, you set them up for drags.” 

Oshoala's post quickly went viral among fans who felt the federation’s tone was unhelpful and unfair, especially towards Dessers, who has only just made his competitive debut with Nigeria.

The Belgium-born forward was handed his second competitive appearance against Bafana Bafana but endured a frustrating evening, seeing little of the ball before being substituted at halftime. 

Is NFF inordinately targeting Super Eagles' foreign-born players?

In the initial match summary published by the federation, Ekong’s mistake was highlighted in stark terms: “The Super Eagles’ fighting spirit was diminished for a period after team captain William Ekong inadvertently swept the ball into his own net in the 25th minute, wrong-footing Stanley Nwabali to give the Bafana the lead and great impetus.”

Dessers was also described in unflattering detail: “Cyriel Dessers, who had an unimpressive game in Uyo where he turned out to be a substitute that was substituted, did not have a better game as he was too slow to latch onto passes, could not win aerial balls and did little in bringing alive the Nigerian attack.”

That portion of the report was later deleted after backlash online, but the damage was done. 

With Dessers still finding his feet in the Super Eagles setup, the criticism has drawn concern about how new and foreign-born players might feel welcomed into the fold.