Let me start by congratulating the Super Eagles for navigating safely through the minefield laid by the Cartage Eagles in Rades last weekend. Whilst many Nigerians are celebrating their team’s deserved escape the Tunisians are mourning the loss of their greatest opportunity to secure a place in the 2010 World Cup.  I had correctly predicted in my last two write-ups that the match would end in a draw. It was a gut feeling generated from my past encounters with the Tunisians plus a close study of their temperament under pressure. When they hosted the Africa Cup of Nations in 1994 and failed to go beyond the first round I discovered how easily they could be frustrated into capitulation under intense pressure to win!  That’s exactly what happened last weekend. Although the Tunisian defence did not give the Eagles frontline any breathing space to do any of the fancy stuff that saw them outplay Ireland and France, they too could not construct anything in 90 minutes to break through a surprisingly much disciplined Nigerian defence. They pressure-marked the Uche brothers into impotency! Both of them looked so bad on the night that they had to be substituted. Only Obinna Nsofor’s quick acceleration stood out in the Nigerian attack as he managed to escape from the close marking of the Tunisians a few times. The Nigerian defence on the other hand was so well organised and so physically imposing on the Tunisian attackers that for the entire duration of the match they did not have a clear view of the Nigerian goal!

Technically, there is not much to report on the match. Sentiments apart it was drab. The match could have gone on almost forever and the Tunisians would not have scored against the Eagles.  On the other hand the Super Eagles had only one clear chance at the Tunisian goal, a cross from an Odemwingie-run that found Eneramo at the far post. His side footing ended up in the terrace rather than behind the stranded Tunisian goalie! Neither side deserved to win, and neither side did, so, football justice was done!