As the Super Eagles of Nigeria prepare to take on Algeria national team in an international friendly tie on Tuesday at the Miloud Hadefi Olympic Complex, a cross-section of Nigerians have taken to Twitter to express their diverse reactions.
DAILY POST reports that the reactions are coming after Jose Peseiro’s side struggled against Algeria’s home-based side (team B) in a friendly tie on Friday night at the Mohamed Hamlaoui Stadium, Constantine.
The Super Eagles played a 2-2 draw with Algeria team B side as Karim Aribi profited from goalkeeper Maduka Okoye’s howler to hand Algeria the lead in the 33 minutes.
The three-time African champions rallied back after the break, with substitutes Alex Iwobi and Cyriel Dessers finding the back of the net.
Aymen Mahious, however, equalized for Algeria from the spot in the second half to ensure the encounter ended in a draw, as the likes of Wilfred Ndidi, Ahmed Musa, Leon Balogun, Henry Onyekuru, Emmanuel Dennis and Samuel Chukwueze all missed the match due to injury.
However, ahead of Nigeria’s friendly tie with Algeria on Tuesday night, some Nigerians questioned Super Eagles’ coach, Jose Peseiro for inviting Okoye for the friendly tie against the Desert Warriors. Many sports enthusiasts claimed that the goalkeeper’s error in the goal post cost Nigeria the ticket for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Here are some of the reactions DAILY POST gathered from Twitter:
@JohnDOnuwa, “Yet another goalkeeper error. Same errors that knocked us out of the AFCON and the world cup.”
@moolah79, “Is there a match this Maduka guy doesn’t bungle to cost us goals? HABA! How does he even keep getting invites?”
@efe_okedi, “I’m wondering what the outcome of the game would be if you could only get a draw against the Algerian B team.”
@MichaelOsas29, “You need to do away with that, Maduka Okoye. That guy isn’t a professional keeper.”
@NoahHum94994416, “If Nigerian football wants to do well ….they should always field beginners with better training. Who hasn’t made anything much yet … .that’s the solution if they will listen. Nigerian footballers will Never be the same again because the Nigerian love for money increased. These players stop showing talents once they see a little change in their bank accounts. That is why most of them play in average clubs and even on the bench in Europe. The foreign coaches know this. Then find some foreign-born players who haven’t been to Nigeria that will agree and add to it.”
@Wadada7Jah, “You don’t expect super eagles to play that hard because if they do, many players could have been injured, they took it not too seriously. Go on, super eagles.”
@emmanue09330024, “This is a test game now. The real game is on Tuesday against the Algerian National team….2-2 is a fair score. Peseiro is doing a very great job.”
@Boma9ja, “Chai….nothing to say here, going back to my cubicle.”
@Mr_Segehood, “Embarrassing.”
@NnannaPrince2, “Algeria B team. This our national team don finish kpatakpata.”
@OlusolaOseni, “The starting lineup clearly shows we didn’t field our strongest team. Let’s wait till Tuesday.”
@temssy89, “Algeria Team B wey suppose chop 5:0 they play a draw with Nigeria.”
@Mr_Yummiest, “The fact we try since afternoon to explain to some people that this is just a rest game just like training, yet they take it so seriously to dey even bash the team show and say plenty of people are quick to rant on Twitter no Sabi anything.”
@oluwashina, “Amaju Pinnick has turned Super Eagles into jokers, Algeria’s B team? God dey oooo.”
@Emmajosiah44, “You think football is beans and bread. Have you ever thought that if the Algerian B team can hold the Super Eagles A team, then it tells you that they have a functional league at home that can beat any A team in the continent of Africa?
@Rfbolajitwitts, “All of you that comment here, it wasn’t Nigeria that forced Algeria to a draw. It was the Algerians that equalized via penalty to force a draw. Watch the highlight. The two goals Algeria scored were avoidable! The keeper error and the penalty push.”
Meanwhile, the kick-off time for the Algeria vs Nigeria match is 8 pm.
Nigeria and Algeria have met 22 times in the past.
The Super Eagles have won nine, drawn three and lost nine games against the North Africans.