AFCON 2021: A Preview of How Super Eagles May Want to Play Sudan this Saturday - The Game Plan

 

Nigeria game plan that worked so well in their first Afcon group D match against Pharaohs of Egypt was to neutralize Mohammed Salah...by Wilfred Ndidi stopping the Egyptian playmaker from controlling the game in the middle and making dangerous through-passes to Salah. That worked because the Egyptian side is a one star team. 

Nigeria came to that match as a ghost team. Nobody knew what to expect or how they will play. It was the first competitive game of Austin Eguavoen, who was appointed interim coach, just three weeks to the tournament. Some of the key players in the Nigerian side weren't available for selection because of one reason or another. 

But now the Sudanese knows there's one Moses Simon who can wreck havoc from the left wing and another Kelechi Iheanacho with deft touches supporting the striker. But this time, the Sudanese are largely the unknown team and their game against Guinea Bissau didn't give much to reckon with. 

Super Eagles Game Plan:

There are two ways to plan for a match. 

1. A coach can plan to neutralise the strength of the opponent by envisioning how they are likely to play and counter their plans by cutting out their key players and finding a way to take advantage of what may be their weak points. Then, you need a very competent scout(s) to watch the opponent closely (both in training and match situations) . 

2. A coach can decide to plan based on the strength of his team. The kind of players he has and what formation will bring out the best in them. During the team preparation, the coach would have tried several formations and decided on how to kick-start a game. In cases like this, the coach must have made alternative plans to change the pattern of play where the first is not working or to respond to opponent reactions. He must be a coach that can easily read the game and able to re-organise his team while the game is still in play. 

No Under-rating of Sudan

Eguavoen, the coach of the Nigerian side said his team cannot afford to underrate any team in this tournament. Every match will be taken as another finals as the team is expected to improve with every match to reach their full potential and to eventually become the champions of this edition of the Africa cup of nations come February 6. 

Eguavoen said He knew the strength of his team and the weakness of most North African teams, so he worked with it to defeat Egypt. 

Nigeria has been known for flair and that’s why our strength has always been on the wings. That’s where our strength lies. Our wing play and technique on-and-off the ball is key.

“We want all 11 players working together. We will play with 11, attack with 11 and defend with 11. what you may call total football."

Eguavoen added that Leicester City midfielder Wilfred Ndidi had a lot to offer the Eagles in neutralising opponent attacks and incursions. He is one of the best defensive midfielder in the world today. 

Nigeria is a team with several sides...versatile and with lots of quality on the bench. They can afford to switch formation at will and that can be dangerous for opponents. Last match was an off day for the Nigerian Messi, Samuel Chukwueze, I think. Perhaps, the Villarreal star was playing to instruction, playing deep from the right wing instead of left. Nigeria switching from a kind of 4-4-2 and then went on to play 4-2-3-1 in the later part of the first game. 

There's also Spartak Moscow new wing maestro Chidera Ejuke who could take the game to the opponent's 18 yard box with his mersmerizing dribbles as well as having strong striking options between Taiwo Awoniyi and Sadiq Umar

“We have intelligent players, who will play the way we want them to play and who can easily switch positions based on how the opponent response to our game plan." 

In Eguavoen's playbook, there are a lot of switching yet to be seen and Sudan may be on the receiving end come Saturday.