Moses Usor: How his half-time arrival changed the game in Uyo

Super Eagles winger Moses Usor came off the bench at half-time in Uyo and set up Tolu Arokodare's second goal in the 3-1 win over Tanzania, giving Eric Chelle a live option on the flank for Tuesday's return leg in Zanzibar.

Nigeria went in at 1-1 on Friday after Alhassan Yusuf's second-minute opener was cancelled out before the break. Chelle sent on Usor and Arokodare at the interval, and the game turned within 15 minutes.

The LASK forward arrived in camp in form. Days before the international break, he set up a goal in LASK's 4-0 Champions League win over Slovan Bratislava, as Soccernet reported at the time.

Two goals in eight minutes

Arokodare put Nigeria back in front seven minutes into the second half from a Wilfred Ndidi pass. Afrik-Foot credited Usor with a part in that move too, saying one of his deliveries led to Ndidi's final ball.

The third goal was all his. On the hour, Usor crossed into the box and Arokodare controlled the ball before finishing for his second, to make it 3-1.

Afrik-Foot reported that Usor replaced goalscorer Yusuf, and described the switch plainly: “Usor changed the complexion of the match after replacing Alhassan Yusuf at half-time.” Sports247 also singled him out, writing that he was “changing the tempo of Nigeria's attack after coming off the bench”.

The numbers support the picture of a second half Nigeria controlled. The Super Eagles finished with 67.8% of the ball and 17 shots, seven on target, against Tanzania's nine.

Analysis: Lookman's knee puts Usor in the frame

Usor's case for Zanzibar rests on more than one cross. He gave Nigeria directness on the flank at the moment the game was drifting, and the Super Eagles scored twice in eight minutes after he and Arokodare came on.

The bigger factor may be fitness elsewhere. Ademola Lookman went off late in the first half with a knee problem and is a doubt for Tuesday, and Moses Simon took his place in Uyo. If Lookman misses out, Chelle has to choose between Simon's experience and the energy Usor brought in the second half.

There is also a case for keeping him as the impact option. A winger who can change a game from the bench is valuable in a qualifier Nigeria must win, and Chelle may want that card in reserve again if Zanzibar is level at half-time.

Either way, the Uyo second half has made Usor part of the conversation, alongside the man he replaced and the striker he set up. Chelle names his team for the return leg, which kicks off at 14:00 WAT on Tuesday.