NFF knocks Dessers, Troost-Ekong after Super Eagles’ draw with South Africa

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has travel down hard connected striker Cyriel Dessers and faulted skipper William Troost-Ekong pursuing the Super Eagles’ disappointing 1-1 gully against South Africa successful their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying lucifer connected Tuesday successful Bloemfontein.

Nigeria went into the brushwood needing a triumph to support their qualification hopes live but were dealt an aboriginal stroke erstwhile defender Ola Aina limped disconnected successful the eighth minute. Matters worsened successful the 25th infinitesimal erstwhile Troost-Ekong enactment the shot into his ain net, gifting Bafana Bafana the lead.

Fulham defender Calvin Bassey restored parity conscionable earlier the interruption with a almighty header, but contempt enjoying much of the shot successful the 2nd half, the Super Eagles failed to crook dominance into goals. Substitutes Tolu Arokodare, Samuel Chukwueze and Chrisantus Uche each struggled to marque an impact.

In a connection issued by its Director of Communications, Dr. Ademola Olajire, the NFF singled retired Dessers for his mediocre showing, noting helium was substituted astatine halftime aft different underwhelming display.

“Cyriel Dessers, who had an unimpressive crippled successful Uyo wherever helium turned retired to beryllium a substitute that was substituted, did not person a amended crippled arsenic helium was excessively dilatory to latch onto passes, could not triumph aerial balls and did small successful bringing live the Nigerian attack,” the federation said.

The NFF besides faulted Ekong for his ain goal, which temporarily deflated the team’s spirit.

“The Super Eagles’ warring tone was diminished for a play aft squad skipper William Ekong inadvertently swept the shot into his ain nett successful the 25th minute, wrong-footing Stanley Nwabali to springiness the Bafana the pb and large impetus,” the connection noted.

However, the federation lauded Bassey for his determination to resistance Nigeria backmost into the contest.

“Defender Calvin Bassey showed immense warring tone and resilience to get Nigeria backmost into the crippled with a infinitesimal near of the archetypal period, erstwhile helium ran with the shot upfront. The shot recovered Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, whose pull-out Bassey met firmly to motion past Ronwen Williams for the leveller,” it added.

Despite that, the NFF lamented the Eagles’ second-half performance, criticising their deficiency of cutting borderline successful beforehand of goal.

Although the gully ensured Nigeria stayed successful contention with 11 points from 8 games, South Africa stay firmly connected apical of Group C with 17 points.

The Super Eagles indispensable present bushed some Lesotho and Benin Republic — and anticipation results elsewhere spell their mode — to basal immoderate accidental of qualifying for adjacent year’s World Cup successful North America.

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