Nigerians are still mourning over Super Eagles’ fading hopes of qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa but the fact remains that the Carthage Eagles had a plan they perfectly executed to get the draw in Abuja on Sunday.
Coach Shuaibu Amodu had always believed he knew his opponents quite well but it was difficult to understand what tactical formation he employed as key Eagles players were rendered redundant on the pitch, chiefly the trio of Mikel Obi, Kalu Uche and his brother, Ikechukwu, our leading scorer with four goals in the qualifiers.
Press ban
Amodu restricted both local and international press from covering Eagles’ training sessions in Abuja days before the game. Watching from the stands however for two successive days, there was nothing exciting about the team’s training and tactical formation.
Even the presence of Nollywood star, Osita Iheme two days to the game was enough to divert the fans attention away from our so-called stars as they struggle to catch a glimpse of the man fondly called Paw Paw. The training even looked more of routine warm up than tactical sessions. Our cocky Eagles were treated like stars by their technical crew as they showed lackadaisical attitude during the trainings.
Fitness
The Eagles struggled to contain the sleek passing game of the Tunisians and it was obvious they lost steam at some point with the duo of Mikel Obi and Kalu Uche practically walking on the field of play.
Fans at the stadium - some of them coming with their families - endured a nervous experience as the Tunisians went berserk, playing as if they were the home side.
Contrast
However, the Tunisian coach, Humberto Coelho allowed journalists to interact with his players at their Sheraton Hotel abode, 24 hours to the clash. The players, including the duo of Chaouki Ben Saada and France-born new boy, Nabil Taider freely granted interviews to Nigerian and Tunisian journalists for about 30 minutes.
Coelho never panicked because he believed he has done his home work. “I don’t look at the past, I work with the present. We are here and ready for this game”, he said at his press conference.
Whereas, Amodu decided to invite John Utaka instead of in-form Joseph Akpala, Coelho was brave to drop veteran defender Radhi Jaidi who was then without a club after his contract with Birmingham expired in June.
Jaidi, who just signed for League One club, Southampton, on September 2, played in the first leg tie in Rades, but Coelho believed he was not in good shape for the Abuja game.
How Coelho’s tactics neutralised Eagles
Etoile Du Sahel goalkeeper Aymen Mathlouti got the nod to replace Lens’ Hamdi Kasraoui because the former has seen regular club actions than his France-based counterpart. No sentiments about whether you play at home or abroad.
Club Africain star Khaled Souissi was deployed as a makeshift right back to specifically smother Taiye Taiwo from causing serious threats going forward and the Olympique Marseille left back was anonymous throughout the game. Each time Taiwo went forward, Souissi closed him down and his slow recovery rate was immediately exploited by the Tunisians to launch counter attacks.
In his competitive debut, (his second game in all) for Tunisia, Taider was played as a defensive midfielder than his preferred offensive role, alongside Houcine Ragued, to prevent the opposition from enjoying enough space in the middle. Taider who was identified as Sliti Nabil on the team sheet for the game netted Tunisia’s first goal with a 25 yard pile-driver.
Captain Karim Haggui was detailed on our leading scorer Ikechukwu Uche, and the Real Zaragoza star made no meaningful impact before he was replaced by Michael Eneramo in the second half.
Ik Uche’s skills could not mesmerise the Tunisians who are equally intelligent and possess good technical ability on the ball.
Worse still the Eagles crosses from the flanks were perfectly dealt with by the taller Tunisian defenders who ensured that the former Getafe man could not win any aerial battle. And with no creative spark from the midfield, fans were left pondering how Uche could not click on the day it mattered most.
Coelho brought in Sfaxien ace Haythem Mrabet for injured Kahaled Korbi and after a nervy start from the substitute; he fooled the Super Eagles’ defence to thread in a lofted pass for Oussama Darragi to net the equalizer at 2-2 on the stroke of 90 minutes.