Some famous Nigerians have questioned the second-half substitution of Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen, after Nigeria crashed out of the 2026 FIFA World Cup playoff on penalties to DR Congo. Both teams finished the game 1-1 in regulation and extra time, but the Super Eagles lost the shootout, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). While Jerome Akor, Bruno Onyemaechi, and Chidera Ejuke converted their spot kicks, Calvin Bassey, Moses Simon, and Semi Ajayi missed theirs. Veteran writer Tomiwa Adenekan responded to the development by stating that Nigeria still lacked a potent playmaker.He says we desperately need a creative midfielder who can open defenses for Osimhen, but he can still play in the 2030 World Cup. “Osimhen puts in too much effort for balls.” Someone has to feed him. We cannot continue to rely on mediocre midfielders who primarily pass backwards, like Iwobi. In a similar vein, sports expert Chibuike Chukwu stated that the issue extended beyond coaching to the players’ dedication to the game. The Super Eagles gave me a headache when I woke up. The NFF is not the only issue. Finidi is not the entire issue because he only coached two of the nine qualifiers.
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