Former Green Eagles winger, Adegoke Adelabu, has given insight on why the Super Eagles lost to Tunisia in the round of 16 match at the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroun.
“In football analysis, one must be able to integrate what one is seeing with the technicalities of what is happening,” Adelabu said in a message to The Guardian yesterday.
The Carthage Eagles won the tie 1-0 with a direct goal from the 18-yard box, which beat goalkeeper Maduka Okoye in the 47th minute.
“The Tunisians demonstrated a form of tactical superiority over Eagles in the way they prosecuted the game,” Adelabu said.
“In the first instance, they played as a team and allowed the ball to do the running, while the Super Eagles ran with the ball throughout the game.
“The Tunisians took control of the midfield and deliberately played with more players from the wings to force our fast wing players to come back and at the same time restricted their ability to carry the ball and make reasonable passes,” he added.
Adelabu, a sports scientist, added that major restriction was that most of the players coach Augustine Eguavoen brought to the pitch had the same characteristics, adding that they are only effective when they have space to run with the ball.
He said: “While the Tunisians varied their pattern of play several times, our players only wanted to run with the ball.
“The Tunisians were more flexible with the ball, while our players were more athletic. But their game plan was to slow us down and control the game with their set pieces in several areas of the pitch. There was no clarity in our strategy other than to get the ball and run towards the goal area. We need to have a better game plan in future and be strategic in our approach to the game.”
