Shina Oludare 16:22 BST 04/07/2021 The Super Eagles were hit for four by Gerardo Martino s team at the Los Angeles Coliseum, and Goal tries to explain what went wrong Getty Fielding inexperienced players
Apart from Ibrahim Sunusi who plays for Major League Soccer side CF Montreal, the rest of Super Eagles players who were on parade ply their trade in the Nigeria Professional Football League.
This played a key role in the outcome of the international friendly as El Tri capitalised to hit them for four in the United States of America.
Although Stephen Jude, Sunday Adetunji and Franklin Tebo were introduced in the second half, they could do little or nothing to help their team halt the rampaging Mexicans.
Nigeria vs Mexico: Why the Super Eagles got pummeled by El Tri goal.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from goal.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
With foreign-based Super Eagles players unavailable for the friendly against Mexico in Los Angeles due to their involvement in pre-season training with their various clubs, home-based players have therefore been drafted for the encounter against El Tri. The onus is therefore on the local players, who will be led by former Nigeria U-20 Coach Paul Aigbogun, to prove to senior national team manager, Gernot Rohr that he has all the while been making a grave mistake by ignoring them. However, if travel arragements went well, the Franco-German may still lead the team, writes Kunle Adewale
Former Nigeria U-20 Coach Paul Aigbogun will be in charge when the Super Eagles take on El Tri in an international friendly outing scheduled in Los Angeles, after Nigeria Football Federation, NFF Technical Director, Austin Eguavoen was denied visa to travel with the team.
Sadiq Abubakar returned after weeks of layoff while Anthony Omaka and Victor Mbaoma were restored to the starting lineup.
The first 28 minutes of the game saw both sides seeking to hit first but the visiting side drew the first blood in the 29th minute through Saidu Adamu who poked home from close range after Uche Onuoha had headed Evans Ogbonda’s cross to his path.
With the away side in full control of the game, their confidence grew more leaving the hosts scrambling to get back into the game as the first half ended 1-0 in favour of the visitors.
Squads & Team News
It is not looking good for Enyimba coach Fatai Osho who guides his troops into battle without suspended captain Austin Oladapo.
The attacking midfielder is their leading scorer in this competition with three goals from seven appearances and is out after picking his third yellow card in the 1-0 defeat by Al Ahli Benghazi last week.
Also not available for Enyimba are centre-back Nelson Ogbonnaya, Dayo Ojo and Beninese midfielder Jean-Marie Guera who are nursing injuries.
But what could be some positive news for Osho is the return of the quartet of Farouk Mohammed, Samad Kadiri, Hassan Abubakar, and Imoh Obot.