How Eagles are flying to Malawi
The Flames may wish to observe that Nigeria Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi seems to have taken a leaf from Egypt’s Pharaoh players’ selection model.
For a change, Nigeria Premier League cream dominates the Super Eagles squad Keshi brings to the Kamuzu Stadium for Saturday’s World Cup qualifier.
More home-based Nigeria players mean better cohesion. Few foreign-based legion such as Ikechukwu Uche, John Utaka and Victor Moses simply add depth.
Expect a hungrier and physical Nigeria as their local players will be seeking to impress their coach, Europe football scouts and of course, cement their places. One of them seeking to impress is right-back, Efe Ambrose.
“But Malawi won’t be lucky [as Namibia]. We will do what we failed to do right against Namibia when we go to Blantyre,” Ambrose told www.MTNFootball.com on Wednesday.
Saturday’s game will be Keshi’s ninth in charge of the Super Eagles who have in the last three games won once, and lost 1-0 and 2-3 to Peru and Egypt respectively in friendlies.
Currently ranked 60 against 107 for Malawi, the Nigerians are superior on paper having won five of six meetings against the Flames, while scoring 15 against seven. Only that the current Super Eagles are weak in midfield. The defence also remains suspect.
Malawi might wish to learn from the Flames class of 2003 which lost 1-0 through John Utaka strike under Briton Alan Gillet. Nigeria’s Tribute newspaper sports editor Orkula Shaagee jokingly warned of Utaka threat in a chat with The Nation.
“In clearing a corner, Malawi defender headed the ball inside instead of out and Utaka pounced on that. We must avoid such mistakes,” said during the week Kinnah, who was then based in Swaziland but came as a guest during the Kamuzu Stadium match.
The France’s Montpieller player Utaka is effective playing upfront and on the right wing. Striker Uche, who punished Namibia on Sunday, is also deadly. They form a three-pronged attack with Moses.
Nigeria probable squad: Vincent Enyeama, Azubuike Egwueke, Efe Ambrose, Godfrey Obo Abona, Juwon Oshaniwa, Reuben Gabriel, Victor Moses, Nkwankwo Obiorah, Ejike Uzoenyi, Ikechukwu Uche, John Utaka.
