Algeria confirmed their superiority over Nigeria with a come-from-behind 2-1 win inside the Olympic Stadium in Oran on Tuesday night.
Below is how the Super Eagles fared during the encounter.
GK: Francis Uzoho – 3.5
Nigeria’s goalkeeping worries continue. Uzoho showed again that he is not much better than Maduka Okoye in between the goalposts. There is nothing much he could have done about Riyad Mahrez’s penalty.
But to tamely concede a 40-yard strike he saw all the way is a new low point for him with the Super Eagles.
RB: Ola Aina – 4.5
Aina put a good shift in, especially in the first half when the Algerians vigorously placed the Eagles on the back foot.
Offered Ademola Lookman very little support in attack, though.
RCB: Kevin Akpoguma – 5.5
Akpoguma stood in well for injured vice-captain William Troost-Ekong. The Hoffenheim defender was to blame in part for allowing an Algerian attacker the room to turn and take the shot that eventually left to the penalty.
LCB: Calvin Bassey – 6
One of Nigeria’s better players on the day. The Ajax man was aggressive in the tackle, covered his position well, and helped out Sanusi occasionally.
LB: Zaidu Sanusi – 5.5
It was far from one of Sanusi’s best performances as the Porto fullback had a busy day shepherding Manchester City’s Riyad Mahrez. Misplaced a couple of passes even when not under pressure.
He had Bassey to thank for helping him out of a few dangerous situations.
DM: Frank Onyeka – 4
Onyeka is no Ndidi, but he did his primary job – shielding the defence from danger – well enough.
Well, that was until his mistimed tackle gave away the penalty from which the hosts drew level.
CM: Alex Iwobi – 6
The Everton midfielder watched the game flow past him without being able to seize it by the scruff.
He was the Eagles’ best player on Friday but nowhere close to that level on Tuesday. Still, there was no other Nigerian player who displayed as much quality as Iwobi in midfield.
RW: Ademola Lookman – 5
The Atalanta winger scored a good goal in the first half that was cancelled for offside. Was not as dangerous as he would have loved to be as the Algerians hoarded the majority of the possession in the first half.
RW: Moses Simon – 5
Simon was the skipper of the day in the absence of captain Ahmed Musa and vice-captain William Troost-Ekong.
The Nantes attacker, however, did more work in defence than in attack as the Desert Foxes imposed their gameplan on the Eagles.
SS: Kelechi Iheanacho – 5.5
Iheanacho was dangerous in the first half when he drove two fierce shots at the Algerian goal, with one of them resulting in the goal that was disallowed.
Iheanacho’s quality is more evident when his team has more of the ball. Unfortunately, the Algerians gave away little in Oran.
CF: Terem Moffi – 6
Moffi showed good awareness to pounce on a loose ball and hand the Super Eagles the lead in the opening minutes. That was Moffi’s third goal for Nigeria following his brace against Sao Tome and Principe in June.
Never stopped running afterwards, but his goal was as good as it got for the Lorient centre-forward.
