Super Eagles midfielder Wilfred Ndidi has apologised to Nigerian fans following his bad miss in the Super Eagles' 1-1 draw against Zimbabwe on Tuesday, Soccernet.ng reports.
Nigeria stumbled again in their push for a 2026 FIFA World Cup spot on Tuesday as they settled for a 1-1 draw against Zimbabwe at the Godswill Akpabi Stadium in Uyo.
It was a game that Nigeria could have easily won by a big margin. But a combination of profligacy from the Super Eagles and moments of brilliance from the Zimbabwean goalkeeper Washington Arubi ensured that Nigeria was limited to just one goal.
One of the culprits on the day was Ndidi. The Leicester City star had a good game, but he missed a big opportunity late in the game. He was played through on goal, with only the goalkeeper to beat. However, he blazed his shot over the bar.
Ndidi has been heavily criticized for that miss. And reacting to insults from fans, he shared an apology on Instagram. The 28-year-old midfielder wrote, “Please make una no vex for goal wey I miss. Nobody perfect for him job.”
Is Ndidi to blame for the Super Eagles' draw against Zimbabwe?
Aside from his miss, Ndidi had a great game. He put up a solid show in midfield until the final minutes. Zimbabwe's goal came about due to a momentary loss of focus and some complacency.
If William Troost Ekong and Bright Osayi-Samuel had been more aware, the Tawanda Chirewa goal could have been easily avoided.
Also, coach Eric Chelle deserves some of the blame, as Nigeria lost their firm grip on the midfield in the last ten minutes of the game. Adding an extra midfielder would have given them more bodies in the middle of the park and ensured that they kept the ball better.
