FT English Premier League Preview: What does Naby Keita bring to Liverpool?

Preamble

From dodging cars in the streets of Conakry, Guinea to be on of the most exciting midfield talents in the world of football, Naby’s story is also a Cinderella one. It’s on record just how much he has loved the game since he was a toddler. Naby kicked anything that met his feet, played football in the busy Koleya streets shoeless or otherwise, faced rejection at several trials in France because of his stature and a lack of tactical understanding of the game. Now, we know his name, Anfield and indeed the Premier League awaits for the diminutive trickster. What should we expect?

Eight is the number

Naby Keita of Liverpool during the Pre-Season Friendly between Blackburn Rovers and Liverpool at Ewood Park on July 19, 2018 in Blackburn, England.

(July 18, 2018 - Source: Getty Images Europe) 

The 23-year-old arrived at Liverpool after switching from RB Leipzig in a then-record transfer for the Merseyside club, valued at £52.75 million. He inherited the number ‘8’ shirt at Liverpool, which had been vacant since the days of the legend, Steven Gerrard. In fact, Steve G himself did the honors of handing the prized shirt to the Guinean international. These are the shoes he is expected to fill, shoes that many believe he will fill. Just for some perspective, Gerrard spent 17 years at the club and scored 186 goals in 710 appearances in a similar role. Yes, it's no easy feat. Keita already has 17 goals and 15 assists so far in his professional career since appearing for Red Bull Salzburg in 2014. Should he just maintain this rate, mathematics tells us that Keita will rise to the occasion and tread the path of Legends like Gerrard, perhaps even make his own.

The playing style

Keita was mostly deployed on the wing at RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga, but football science and art tell us that he is a number 8. The kind that is popularly known as a box to box midfielder. He is likely going to play in the midfield of three with the recent arrival at Liverpool, Fabinho who is able to provide more defensive cover to the defenders and Jordan Henderson, Milner or Gini Wijnaldum. When Oxlade Chamberlain recovers from injury, he will also surely be among Jurgen Klopp’s options. It is true that Keita will have to repeatedly prove his inclusion into the starting eleven in the presence of such competition, but here why I think he could easily be one of the first names on the team sheet.

“Essentially, I see Keita as a possessing the combined qualities of Wijnaldum, Henderson and Oxlade Chamberlain. You get more from him than choosing any of the three individual players.”

— Dennis Takaendesa, FirstTouch Africa

Liverpool play a 4-3-3 formation with Roberto ‘Bobby’ Firmino as the false nine, Salah and Mane on either wing. They actually do not have a proper attacking midfielder who assumes the playmaker role, Firmino has been the one closest to being that. Now, Naby doubles as a defensive and attacking midfielder. He is able to intercept passes, break presses from the opposition and quickly turn defense into attack. The Guinean is so comfortable on the ball, that he is able to creatively run through the midfield, skipping markers and even finding the back of the net in the absence of good options to receive the ball from him. This obviously attracts opponents, freeing the likes of Mo Salah, Mane, and Firmino who have become a deadly attacking trio that not many can stop. He can also pick players from any part of the pitch with long passes, much like Henderson.

No wonder the Mersey-side club broke the bank for him.

Naby Keita #8 of Liverpool controls the dribble as he moves towards the goal and is chased by Amos Pieper #42 and Herbert Bockhorn #39 of Borussia Dortmund during an International Champions Cup match at Bank of America Stadium on July 22, 2018 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

(July 21, 2018 - Source: Bob Leverone/Getty Images North America) 

Under Klopp, Liverpool have become devastating on the counter-attack and somewhat predictable. Many would agree that they play long balls, more of the long balls coming from the previous midfield and defensive setup. They will still play long balls but Keita would offer something different when required, with his ability to take on players and squeeze in key short and defense-splitting passes. He has been compared to Kante and a host of many other great central midfielders, but he is just Naby Keita. Jurgen Klopp himself has hinted on Naby’s indispensable role to the 2018 UEFA Champions League finalists.

“I see him as an ‘8’, he can play ‘10’ as well, maybe in the future, he can play ‘6’ as well. At Leipzig he played as a winger - that’s for sure not his best position but he can play it because he has the speed for it, he has the football intelligence for it. We see him as a creative No.8, playing the passes and making the runs with the ball.”

— Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool Manager

The family-factor

“Salzburg improved me as a player and I learnt so much there, I got a really tactical education. Sadio was important for me, he still is! To me, he’s my big brother. He really likes to learn new things, to improve and to push himself and we are the same in this way. He’s a good example for me.”

— Naby Keita, Guinea and Liverpool

Equally important to great performances on the pitch, is a good off the pitch environment. It seems like Baby Keith has settled well at Melwood Park from the social media coverage. You could guess that central to the smooth transition could be the African connection at the club, more so Sadio Mane whom Keita sees as a big brother since their time together at Red Bull Salzburg in Austria. 

Liverpool, it just might be your time this time. You obviously ain’t walking alone!

FT Spanish La Liga Preview: Title Favorites? Do Not Forget About Atletico Madrid

Over the last few years, we have seen the Diego Simeone assembled, Atletico Madrid transform from being just a club to a real-world phenomenon. They have notoriously appeared in two UEFA Champions League finals, won the Spanish League title, won three Europa league titles and two UEFA Super Cups in a space of just 9 years. In that process, we have also seen them switch stadiums in search of more breathing space for their success, moving from Vicente Calderon to the acclaimed Wanda Metropolitano. This is the kind of progression we saw under the Arsene Wenger era, at least during the days he was worshipped by the Arsenal fans. For a time such as this, where football clubs seem to be “buying their way to success”, more often the legendary clubs who were adored way before Atletico - what’s their place? I would argue that they will actually be going for the kill. They have what it takes to win anything this season.

Zero pressure for Los Rojiblancos

When people talk about the Spanish Premier League, more often than not, two clubs come to mind. Barcelona and Real Madrid - the hosts of the infamous El Clasico derby, one of the most popular matches in all sports entertainment. These two teams are literally always competing against each other, on and off the pitch. In the 2018/19 season, Real Madrid will be looking to prove that they are still a force to reckon with when it comes to domestic football. After winning three consecutive UEFA Champions League titles, the La Liga crown might just be the priority. Rest assured, Barcelona will not let their hold on the top spot go without a fight, especially after the near perfect 2017/18 campaign in which they lost only a single game. Furthermore, Lopetegui’s Real Madrid will also be keen on proving that there is life after the 40+ goal machine, Cristiano Ronaldo and Mr. Champions League, Zinedine Zidane. Barca will have to make a case for their huge spending on the field of play. All these and many other factors leave Atletico with the least pressure to win titles under the microscopic lens of journalists, fans, and pundits - the kind of freedom that actually permits teams to grow and win. Remember they claimed 2nd place last season in the La Liga table, my money is on them now winning it this season.

They have all the right ingredients to win

There aren’t a lot of football managers who are as animated and demanding as Diego Simeone. He has been at the helm of the club during these remarkable nine years and is not slowing down. Manager, check! Let’s talk about the squad. Arguably the best goalkeeper in the world right now lines up in goal for Atletico - Jan Oblak. The 25-year-old Slovenian conceded the least number of goals in Spain last season. Atleti’s defense is Uruguayan made, with perhaps the best center-back pair in the world, Diego Godin and Jose Jimenez central to that wall of Jericho. Most of us might have seen how the defensive brilliance of these two carried Uruguay to the quarterfinals of the 2018 FIFA World Cup. In fact, Uruguay finished the group stages without conceding a single goal. Let us not forget to mention the 2018 World Cup winners in that setup, Lucas Hernandez, and Antoine Griezmann, who showed up big time for France in Russia. Did someone say, Diego Costa? Saul Niguez, Juanfran, Filipe Luis, Koke etc - they will be eager to again represent Atleti’s colors.

Most interestingly, they have become quite a boring side, in the opinion of some, despite all their successes by reason of their conservative style of play. But who knows, perhaps this coming season will see some form of dynamism from Simeone’s men, after acquiring two dynamic and pacey young wingers in the form of Thomas Lemar and Gelson Martins.

The Partey Factor

Lionel Messi of FC Barcelona fouls Thomas Partey of Atletico de Madrid during the La Liga match between Barcelona and Atletico Madrid at Camp Nou on March 4, 2018 in Barcelona, Spain.

(March 3, 2018 - Source: Alex Caparros/Getty Images Europe)

Here at FirstTouch, we try to highlight and emphasize more focus towards African players, and Thomas Partey is a real force in that midfield and deserves special mention. Not much can be said about his statistics because the game has almost been reduced to measure performance by the number of goals scored, irrespective of the position one plays. The 25-year-old Ghanaian is pretty much in that bracket of Barca’s Sergio Busquets and Real Madrid’s Casemiro when it comes to breaking up play, winning tackles and starting the attack. He appeared 28 times for Atletico Madrid last season and will most certainly be a crucial part of the midfield backbone.

Be afraid, be very afraid!

If you are a Juventus, Real Madrid, Liverpool, Manchester City, Barcelona, Bayern Munich fan or anyone else who fancies themselves winning the UEFA Champions League trophy, Atletico might just stop you in your tracks on their day. More than just frustrating your favorite team, they have real sharpshooters who can also score for fun with the slightest of chances. And yes, the 2019 UEFA Champions League Final will be held at their home, Wanda Metropolitano. I am sure they will be extra motivated to be playing in a Champions League final hosted in their cauldron of a stadium.

FT English Premier League Preview: How will Mahrez fair at Manchester City?

The Price Tag

Riyad Karim Mahrez could be the most expensive African player in history after sealing a £60 million move to Manchester City. The five-year deal is believed to reach an astounding £75 million with add-ons and would very much surpass the Congolese, Cedric Bakambu’s £65 million switch to Chinese Super League side, Beijing Guoan. The 27-year-old Algerian international has also become the Cityzens’ record signing, which speaks volumes about just how much the club admire and what is expected of him. This leads me to the first question many will be keen to see answered, whether Riyad will live up to his perceived value.

He has been to the mountain-top

Do you remember the fairytale of the 2015/16 Premier League season, where Leicester City lifted the trophy against all odds? Riyad was the man at the heart of Claudio Ranieri’s set up, terrorising opposition, creating chances, scoring goals - mostly from the right wing side, always cutting inside and slipping away from defenders with what became known as the ‘Mahrez chop’. His partnership with Jamie Vardy ensured the latter would also write his name in the English record books for quite a number of records. Even Riyad looked great on paper too, scoring 17 goals and serving up 11 assists. That year, 2016, became his ‘Mo Salah’ year getting all sorts of awards. In fact, he almost matches Salah on accolades received, except that he did not outscore his Leicester teammate who won the golden boot. Mahrez’s track record proves that he will unlikely be unfazed by the challenge of City who happens to be a town, subset of a world he has dominated before, a world that is English football. Lest I get carried away talking about the past, let’s look ahead into his City future.

New level, new heights, and new dreams

After being a subject of many failed attempts for a move away from Leicester since the fairytale season, Riyad finally got what most people wished for him. A bigger club, with a bigger fan base, top quality players, and definitely bigger dreams. He had reached a ceiling with the Foxes and with all due respect to Leicester, it wouldn’t have been a fun show seeing his immense ability and potential only in use to help a mid-table club stay afloat. In my opinion, Mahrez’s ability on the ball and to take-on players is second to only a handful of professional footballers all around the world. Since 2015/16 season, only Hazard, Sanchez and Zaha have completed more dribbles in the EPL. See the company he is keeping, Zaha is another African who actually deserves a blog post on this site. After a disappointing 2016/17 campaign with Leicester where he only managed 4 goals and 2 assists, Riyad redeemed himself in the follow-up, scoring 12 times and registering 10 assists. Under the mentorship of Pep Guardiola and the company of the likes of Kevin De Bruyne, Leroy Sane, David Silva and Aguero, he is probably dreaming bigger. A champions league triumph perhaps, a place among the G.O.A.Ts of the football world maybe - the sky is really the limit now.

Will he actually get a real chance?

It is no secret that the Premier League champions have unparalleled depth in the quality of their squad. More so, given the attitude of the almost unpredictable tactician in Guardiola, no player is safe from sitting some matches out. Not even the record signing. Mahrez’s preferred position is on either wing, especially the right one, where Raheem Sterling largely operated from, scoring 18 Premier League goals from also serving up 11 assists. Bernardo Silva who is possibly City’s best player in the pre-season tour so far will also be vying for more minutes on either wing, let alone the Germany prodigal child, Leroy Sane who scooped the PFA Young Player of the Year Award in City’s title-winning season. I actually think Riyad could get some preference, especially on the right wing as he is able to hug the touchline, just like Sane does on the left - something that Guardiola once which Sterling has come up short of in recent times. He also offers something more, in terms of the ability to score long range shots, which we have hardly seen Sterling do. At the end of the day, only time will tell, but best guaranteed that whatever chance he gets, he will surely be keen to make the most of it. He is very much aware of the probabilities.

The nitty-gritties

A few things to note out and keep an eye on include; the possibility of Riyad, Aubameyang, Salah, Sadio Mane and Naby Keita rivaling each other for the CAF African Player of the award, now that they are all a big parts of three of the best clubs in the EPL and the rest of the world. Could he possibly even compete for the golden boot if deployed in Sterling’s position, I mean, we are very much aware of his goal-scoring ability. The unsettling factor in the equation of predicting Riyad’s debut season at City is the possibility of injuries stepping in to take away all the fun. Just like any other footballer, he is not completely immune any. He has already survived a major scare in pre-season after being taken-off a pre-season match against Bayern Munich as a result of an ankle injury. Hopefully, it’s the last of it.

Let us know how you think Riyad will fair at City in the comment box below. Let the games begin!

FT World Cup Recap: Top 5 U23 Players From The World Cup

We all know that football is a collective goal and one man’s loss leads to everyone’s loss. That philosophy, however, should not make us overlook the efforts of the individuals and give the credit where it’s due. Even though the World Cup eventually went to our African brothers in another continent, there are still some U23s that made us proud and here are they below in no particular order.

1. Achraf Hakimi (Morocco)

He is just 19 years old, he is a Real Madrid player who is on loan to Borussia Dortmund for two years. That kind of CV is not earned by just anyone, and moreover, he displayed an incredible level of versatility at the World Cup 2018 this summer in Russia. For the FIFA World Cup Group B clash with Iran, he was a right center back in a defense of three. He also performed well as the left back in the following games against Portugal and Spain. This level of versatility is really commendable in a player because it ensures that they are able to grow different skills within the same tournament. He was born in Spain and is the son of Moroccan parents, he roared with the Lions of the Atlas and made them proud.

2.  Peter Etebo (Nigeria)

One thing that most people would most likely remember him for is the “own goal” that he had in the Group D 2018 World Cup match against Croatia. That was not enough to destroy the player’s morale in the tournament. The 22-year old showed that he has the talent to keep moving his career in the right direction. Even though he was known for his abilities as a winger, he strengthened the Nigerian defense line at the tournament which was a sign of flexibility. The player’s speed when charging towards the ball was quite evident in his games. In the Nigerian game against Iceland, he proved that beyond his tenacity in tackling, he is also great at initiating attacks.  He recently signed a 5- year contract with Stoke City where he will take the next step in the development of his career. 

3. Ismaila Sarr (Senegal)

Any ordinary 20-year old’s dribbling skills would not match Sarr’s skills. His tenacity on the field was unquestionable during the 2018 FIFA World Cup as he dribbled his way out of his competitor’s traps. His performance made the just the right amount of noise and caught the attention of Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool. All teams have been making inquiries with the hope that this youngster will soon grace their squads. The price at which the player is estimated to be purchased for is around 50 Million Pounds. This young player has been dubbed “one of Senegal’s brightest young attacking prospects”.

4. Francis Uzoho (Nigeria)

In the early stages of his career, he was determined to be a center-forward, but his coach saw beyond what Francis thought was his dream at that point. Today, the 19-year-old stands between the goal posts of the Nigerian team. While the other Nigerian goalkeepers could not be at the tournament, he gave a brilliant performance and only conceded 4 goals throughout the tournament. It was quite commendable that at his age, he was able to take up the task of being a first-choice goalkeeper, which is something that has been dubbed as a task for the mature. Thank you, Francis, for teaching us to always be ready to rise to the occasion when the need arises! If there is a memorable experience that we are taking away from this is that fingertip save from Messi’s free kick during the Group D match between Nigeria and Argentina.
 

5. M’Baye Niang (Senegal)

He may have been at fault with his two yellow cards that cost Senegal qualification into the knockout stage, however, he is the reason why the team was tied with Japan in the Group H standings of the 2018 FIFA World Cup. As controversial as his goal might seem to have been, Niang was behind why Senegal was able to get away from Poland with a 2-1 victory. Poland fans were infuriated by the way the referee made a ruling on this goal, but this was a typical demonstration of a beautiful mistake. He had been out of the pitch for a short injury break and the Polish players did not notice it. He swiftly accepted a misplaced Polish back pass and went past the goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny into an empty net. This was indeed the highlight of his appearance at the World Cup. His performance in this match, specifically, also earned him the Man of the Match title.

Percy Tau Is One For The Future

The inevitable has happened, the hottest South African football talent might have just widened his circle of influence with his recent move to the English Premier League side, Brighton & Hove Albion. Percy Tau has penned a four year deal with the Seagulls, who are reported to have paid £2.8 million for his services, a record-fee for a South African.

A few months before today some thought the Senegalese legend, El-Hadji Diouf had gone mental. Diouf remarked that Percy Tau’s move to the big European leagues was long overdue and even went further to draw a comparison between the Witbank-born player with the likes of Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane. As the 2017/18 South African PSL season drew to a close, it becomes even clearer just how much potential the 24-year old possessed as he proved to be a special ingredient in Mamelodi Sundowns’ title-winning campaign. Tau capped off the season by winning three of the most coveted individual awards in South African football; South African Player of The Year, Players’ Player of The Season and joint-top scorer award. The move could not have come at a better time, especially since Percy had won all there was to win with Bafana BaStyle, including the CAF Champions League. This step up is actually less about him and more about his country’s progress and his role in charting it.

The Twitter community showed just how much the move means to South Africa as a people, who have been criticised for creating a haven of mediocrity by not allowing their players to seek new challenges. Even rivalries were put aside as fellow footballers and clubs took turns to congratulate Percy. Most remarkably was the top SA top-flight side, Polokwane City’s tweet, “Minus one problem! Hamba Kahle Simba (Go well, Lion).” Even the country’s top goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune who plays for a rival club in Kaizer Chiefs tweeted,

“All the very best in your new journey #KingTau @percymuzitau22 fly the SA high #ProudlySouthAfrican #GodIsGreat ”

But the journey is far from over for the speedy forward as he now follows the footsteps of the likes of Quinton Fortune who played for Manchester United, Benni McCarthy (Blackburn Rovers & West Ham United) and most recently, Steven Pienaar, who played for Everton. He might just have a whole lot more to prove given the nation’s hopes pinned on him in an ever-increasingly competitive world. Percy will have to adjust to the new surroundings, new football style, make new friends and prove his worth. He will begin his Brighton career with a loan move in the upcoming Premier League season to “get an experience of European football” and actually allow room to have his work permit finalized.

“Percy is a player we have highlighted for the future, and there is no doubting his talent, having been voted South African player of the season. Percy will go out on loan this season, play regularly and get some experience of European football. We will be watching his progress and monitoring his development over the season.” - Chris Hughton, Brighton & Hove Albion Manager

All South African eyes and many new eyes are on him now and he seems to be embracing the challenge and poised to do well.

“Going out on loan is always good to help a player develop and get better. It’s new for me to be in Europe, and I’ll get to work on myself and a few things that I need to improve...Last season was great, I got a few personal achievements, but we won the league as well, which is something that means so much to me. I’m happy to have gone down that path, but it’s over now and it’s time to make new memories.” - Percy Tau

Adjusting to life at Brighton could actually be aided by the African connection building up at the club with the arrivals of the Malian midfielder, Yves Bissouma, Nigeria’s Leon Balogun who will meet the Cameroonian, Gaetan Bong who has been at the club since 2015.

Let us know just how high you think Percy will fly the South African flag in the comment box below.

FT Post World Cup 2018: The Day Morocco Bullied Portugal

A Few Weeks Before This Day

At the end of the 90 minutes, I was kicking myself trying to conceive how Morocco lost that Group B clash against the European champions, Portugal. In fact, I am still questioning myself hoping to get answers on the Lions of the Atlas’ ordeal. I was literally sitting on the edge of my seat throughout the match, cheering on, commentating and at times giving instructions through the television, as if they could actually hear me. That is just some hindsight into the level of passion I felt, which can be hardly described with words. At the end of the day, I was thoroughly entertained but walked away with a sinking feeling which has driven me to reflect in this piece.

Numbers Don’t Lie

Objectively, this is not just a “make Africa look good piece.” I am not a data junkie but let us look at the stats of the match for a second. Morocco had more of the ball with 55% possession, they also had five more shots than Portugal with a total of 15 shots with twice as many on target than their opposition. They had a superior passing accuracy of 76.4% compared to Portugal’s 71.7%, more passes in the attacking third, more key passes, more corners, more dribbles, more recoveries; essentially more of everything in attack. I am sure you are getting the picture now, Morocco actually bullied the 4th ranked team in the world. Hakeem Ziyech literally owned the midfield cutting inside from the left flank, Nordin Amrabat was unstoppable and the defense marshall, captain Mehdi Benatia adopted a second role - heading the ball goalwards at the wake of the countless opportunities, almost like a second striker.

The Significance

This was really huge to me as far as breaking stereotypes is concerned. African teams have been overtime described as “physical” which actually implies that they lack tactical awareness, organization, and are void of the ability to entertain. For the first time in my life, on the biggest stage of them all, I witnessed a European team pushed to the brink and made to defend in numbers, in other words, “park the bus”. Let me be clear, I do not see it in the view of the underappreciated rising to the occasion to prove haters wrong - shouting “I told you so,” but rather, in the light of football is a testament that no particular group of individuals has the inalienable right to mastery and dominance. Everyone can master and dominate, not just in sport but in everything. Allow me to echo the timeless declaration that all men are created equal with the hope that the more we roar it out, the more we move to actualize it.

Every Team Needs A Ronaldo

I am always reminded by my peers that in the end “football is about scoring goals.” Well, I actually concede to that fact but I cannot be robbed of the celebration of broken stereotypes. This gets me to the next point in moving past the “feel good dimension” to that of winning. Arguably the best player in the world, Cristiano Ronaldo actually won that particular match and many others for his country. The recent addition to the Juventus squad delivered a lightning header in the 4th minute from a corner kick, which sealed the points for the European champions. As we celebrate the progression of African football in the context of the Moroccans, I suggest we also aspire not to just do enough but be the best. My hope and prayer are that the small boys and girls in the forgotten and well-known parts of the continent may grind as much as Ronaldo with the belief that they will seize even the smallest of opportunities, become the best players in the world and win battles for their nations.

Morocco finished the 2018 FIFA world cup campaign in Russia, bottom of Group B with a single point after having lost the opening match to Iran courtesy of an injury-time own goal, another loss to Portugal and drew 2-2 with the 2010 World Champions, Spain. The Moroccan matches were some of the most breathtaking matches of my 2018 World Cup experience.

Continue roaring, Lions of the Atlas! 

FT World Cup 2018: Nigeria's Tournament in Review

“I think like the President said, this is the first time we are going into a tournament like this without any issue of money, bonuses or anything like that. I think everything is sorted now for us and all we have to do as players is go out there and make this country proud and we hope with your support as the father and the leader of this great nation, we will go out there, give our best and make sure we come back with the trophy.” - John Obi Mikel, Captain of Nigeria

These were the words of the former Chelsea man as the Super Eagles took flight for Russia as one of the five teams to represent the continent of Africa at the 2018 FIFA World Cup finals. As you can probably tell from Mikel’s speech above to the Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari, they were ready. For the first time ever, they had probably ticked all the boxes in terms of preparations for a highly organized campaign. Even their trendy Nike kits and elegant African dresses told the story of Eagles ready to reach new heights. In a group with Argentina, Croatia and Iceland, was the success going to be a certainty? Did they actually have enough wind in their sails?

The Croatia Fiasco

In all honesty and truth, that word summarises Nigeria’s first fixture against Croatia, fiasco (a complete failure). As we had anticipated in FirstTouch’s Group D  overview of the World Cup, Gernot Rohr used the 4-3-3 system with the exception that he chose Etebo for Onazi and Idowu instead of Echiejile in the back four. In fairness, the team actually made sense, it seemed to be the strongest possible from the 23-man squad. However, when the 90-minutes were up, all the positivity and hype had disappeared into thin air, Africa and Nigeria were stunned by the 2-0 loss to the organized Croats. A team that had only registered two shots on target for the entire match. It’s not like Nigeria had more. The entire match was a boring affair pitting the Super Eagles who seemed to be lacking desire, strolling the pitch and passing sideways with no sense of urgency. When going forward, a chance created that would be created would just fizzle out as a result of not having a clear attacking plan. The Croats, who were not actually great on the day, revealed more intent and purpose, and left the game with all three points.

A much more re-invigorated Nigerian side melted the Icelanders

Matchday Two arrived and we were all thrown into a frenzy. The social network communities came to a standstill as the African community, ring-led by the 180 million Nigerians flooded Instagram and Twitter notably crowning Ahmed Musa as a ‘governor.’ The CSKA Moscow forward had struck twice in the Iceland fixture to deny the “Vikings” a fairytale campaign, blowing Group D open and giving Argentina some hope of reaching the knockout stages after they had succumbed 3-0 to Croatia in a “tactics gone wrong” scary movie showing by Jorge Sampaoli. A much more disciplined and hungry Super Eagles team could be attributed to the positive result against Iceland. A switch of the formation to a 3-5-2 introducing Chelsea’s Omeruo as part of the back three offered more defensive stability and attacking prowess as Victor Moses was shifted to a more familiar right wing-back role and Ahmed Musa partnered with Kelechi Iheanacho upfront to deliver the goals in place of Ighalo. We started seeing the Nigerian side we had all hoped for; youthful, talented and passionate, and with one game to go in the group stages, the Super Eagles had put themselves in prime position to qualify for the knockout phase as they now sat in a second place ahead of Argentina and Iceland, who both had a point each.

A familiar tango with Albiceleste had a familiar end

The final fixture shaped up to be the most important one. With Nigeria needing only a point to book a spot in the Round of 16 and Argentina counting on some complex permutations coupled with a victory over the Super Eagles, Nigeria had it all to do heading into this last fixture. Gernot Rohr named an unchanged line-up from the starting XI that faced Iceland and had to start on the back foot after Messi seized the first decisive moment of the match and put the South Americans in front with a sublime goal in the 14th minute. As the match progressed, we witnessed the birth of character, winning attitude and fighting spirit in the Nigerian squad as they came from being a goal-down to dominate the 2014 World Cup finalists and equalize from the penalty spot. They could have scored another goal to make it 2-1 but a penalty appeal was rejected after VAR consultation. Mighty Argentina was pushed to the brink by Nigeria, resembling more tactical awareness and skill than the acclaimed South Americans led by arguably the best player to have ever played the game of soccer, Lionel Messi. With the scores tied, Nigeria guaranteed qualification and with five minutes left on the clock, the dreaded lack experience manifested itself. Marcos Rojo latched onto a cross and fired the ball into the bottom corner. The Super Eagles had to succumb to another Argentina loss, a fifth in five World Cup meetings. This time, the loss was definitely not a tactical blunder or shortcomings in skill but that which I think is as a result of a lack of experience and the wherewithal needed to perform at the highest level. The collapse of concentration in the final moments of the match not only by Nigeria but by a  host of other African teams could vindicate me on this assertion.

What now for the Super Eagles?

It is no secret that in terms of talent, Nigeria can boast and say “we own it.” A generation of brilliant midfielders in the form of the 21-year-old 2017/18 top English Premier League tackler, Wilfred Ndidi, the versatile Etebo, young forwards in Iheanacho and Alex Iwobi as well as the 19-year-old goalkeeper, Francis Uzoho, exemplify the array of talent Nigeria possesses. Not to mention Arsenal’s Kelechi Nwakali and the likes, Moses Simon who didn’t make it to Russia, shows that Nigeria has the right mix of youth and experience - I think it’s all about blending it well. It is obviously easier said than done but here is my short letter to the Nigeria footballing community containing fast-five bulleted notes:

1. Hire a local head coach who builds the team from within the country not relying on foreign-based players who take longer to form team chemistry

2. Schedule a lot of international friendlies to gain exposure

3. Soccer is a team sport, build teams and do not bank on individual talents

4. Invest in the growth of local football systems by improving local leagues

5. If you have to use juju, please do if it will stimulate an ever ending desire and character to win.

Super Eagles, thank you for fighting as hard as you could. We wish you all the best in the future.

FT World Cup 2018: Senegal were so close but yet so far

Africa are out of the 2018 FIFA World Cup tournament. Shocking right? Many experts and coaches from all over the world predicted that African teams would do better in the competition this time around, but they were left disappointed. Arsene Wenger and Jose Mourinho are just two of the many experts that shared in this pre-tournament belief. But how exactly did Senegal let the chance slip through their fingers in the final match? Here’s how.

In the first two matches, we did not see the captain of the team, Cheikhou Kouyate in the starting XI as well as the boy wonder, Keita Balde Diao on one of the flanks. Coach Aliou Cisse decided to change things up and accommodate the two players in a compact 4-4-2 formation against Colombia on June 28. Mane, who was playing up front with Niang, got an opportunity to score but lost the ball in the penalty box to Yerry Mina. VAR was used, and it adjudged that Mina committed a legal tackle. The Senegalese team were dangerous on the break but failed to score. A second-best Colombia team was unfortunate to lose James Rodriguez to injury, and they replaced him with an attacker, Muriel. Yerry MIna later proved again decisive as he stunned Senegal when he rose above the defenders to head in the game-winning goal on the 74th minute. Senegal now needed a goal to secure their place in the Round of 16 with Japan losing 1-0 to Poland. They fought, but could not score past Ospina. The match ended 1-0 and Senegal were level on points with Japan. They scored the same number of goals and conceded the same in the group stage. The two teams could not be separated by the head-to-head fixture either as it ended in a draw. For the first time in the tournament, a team was eliminated based on the number of yellow cards they picked up in the tournament. Senegal finished 3rd in the group, and it must be heartbreaking to bow out like that.

This means that the journey for the 5 African teams has ended in the group stage. Better luck next time, Africa.

FT World Cup 2018: Nigeria go down fighting

The Super Eagles of Nigeria missed out narrowly on reaching the knockout stages after Marcos Rojo scored a late winner to send Argentina through.

The West African boys came into the match on the back of an impressive 2-0 win over Iceland after faltering 2-0 to Croatia in the opening match. Their win collapsed social media as Africa celebrated with the nation of over 180 million people. With this game, everything was on the line, the Super Eagles only needed a draw to secure qualification to the next round while the shaky Argentina side had to bag all three points with the hope that Iceland would fall to Croatia.

Fourteen minutes into the match, Lionel put the South American side ahead after controlling an overhead pass from Arsenal-linked Ever Banega and firing the ball into the net. It was really a vintage Messi moment and if you ask me, not much could have been done to stop it. An organized defense led by Brighton Hove Albion’s Leon Balogun and a wonderful fingertip save by Uzoho from a Messi free-kick kept the scoreline at 1-0 on the 45-minute mark.

After the halftime period, the Super Eagles came out flying, meticulously hunting their prey. Etebo curled a corner into the box in the 51st minute which did not lead to a call but meant that Javier Mascherano had to put his arms over Balogun to avoid one, granting the Eagles a penalty. Victor Moses made no mistake from the spot, canceling Argentina’s opener. At this stage, Nigeria could actually have been two or three goals up after some neat interplay that saw Wilfried Ndidi’s long-range shot narrowly missing the target. Odion Ighalo also missed an open chance before a penalty appeal was rejected after a VAR review when Marcos Rojo seemed to have handed the ball to stop Musa’s cross from reaching the lurking Ighalo. The 86th minute was to become the heartbreaking moment.

Gabriel Mercado swung a cross into the box that met the Marcos Rojo who fired it into the bottom corner becoming the unlikely hero of the night. Argentina’s qualification was further aided with Croatia’s 2-1 win over Iceland.

In the end, the result was disappointing and some decisions might have gone against the Super Eagles but the overall performance by the Nigerians was nothing less than a fight to the death. Now, four of five African teams have been knocked out from the tournament. Africa’s last hope lies with Senegal, who plays Colombia on the 28th of June.

FT World Cup 2018: Morocco issues a powerful closing statement against Spain

Morocco’s elimination was guaranteed after failing to score in their opening two matches, narrowly losing 1-0 to both Iran and Portugal even though they dominated the opposition on both occasions. However, the beautiful football they play paid off against their neighbors, Spain, the acclaimed “masters of the beautiful football.” More than just the football was on display, as the referee’s decisions and VAR took center-stage.

The Lions of the Atlas opened the scoring in the 14th minute when El-Boutaib capitalized on a Sergio Ramos mistake, raced goalwards and finished it off nicely by slotting the ball between David De Gea’s legs. Five minutes later, La Roja replied. Isco leveled matters after being gifted a scoring opportunity by the dancing Iniesta who dribbled past two defenders and delivered him the assist. From this point onwards, everything seemed to have been going against the North Africans. Morocco received an astounding four yellow cards within the first half after a host of challenges and outbursts of frustration as a result of the perceived partiality of the referee. If you ask me, there may be two or three occasions where the referee made some controversial calls.

After the halftime break, Spain continued to search for an elusive win that would guarantee their qualification but homebound Morocco had other plans. They were determined to cause an upset and leave a mark on the tournament after fighting so hard in a group earmarked the “Group of Death.” Substitute Youssef En-Nesyri restored Morocco’s lead in the 81st minute with a bullet header that David De Gea could only watch fly past him into the net. The climax of the eventful night, however, came in injury time, when Iago Aspas scored a goal that was initially ruled offside before a VAR review awarded the goal making the final score, 2-2.

Spain and Portugal, who survived a late scare from Iran in their 1-1 draw against the Asians, march on from Group A into the knockout stages.

FT World Cup 2018: Egypt with a surprise loss to Saudi Arabia

The age-old adage, “same story, just a different day” proved true for Egypt in their disappointing World Cup journey as they closed off their campaign with a shock 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia.

It was a game that had little but pride to play for, considering that both teams were already eliminated from advancing into the knockout rounds from Group A after losing their first two matches.

“The Pharaohs” drew first blood in their first convincing attack of the game when Mohamed Salah latched onto a long ball from Abdallah El-Said and chipped the ball over the advancing keeper into the back of the net.

Saudi Arabia, however, was given a penalty in the 41st minute, which was brilliantly saved by legendary goalkeeper Essam El-Haddary, who was celebrating a milestone during this game. The Egyptian goalkeeper became the oldest player to ever play at the World Cup, at 45 years-old, and capped that honor by cooly saving Fahad Al Muwallad's penalty.

However, Saudi Arabia was to be given another penalty on the stroke of halftime of which this time they were able to convert as Salman Al Faraj sent El-Haddary the wrong way to draw the two sides level. The Saudis then put the last nail in the coffin for Egypt as they snatched a winning goal at the very death courtesy of Salem Al Dawsari's close-range finish, which further emphasized a very humiliating Egyptian World Cup display.

As they bid farewell to the World Cup, Salah’s future with the Egyptian national team has been a key talking point. This comes after his involvement in a political row during his stay with the Egyptians in Chechnya during the World Cup. It is said that before the World Cup commencement, Salah was pictured alongside Chechen Republic leader Ramzan Kadyrov at Egypt's base. Kadyrov declared Salah as an honorary citizen of Chechnya in a ceremony that Salah attended.

Nonetheless, this will be a very forgetful World Cup experience for Egypt especially because much was expected from the North Africans but instead, they choked at the biggest stage. Lessons were learned and hopefully “The Pharaohs” will bounce back and win the hearts of Africa once more.

FT World Cup 2018: Senegal held to a 2-2 draw by Japan

Three African teams have already been knocked out of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia namely; Tunisia, Morocco, and Egypt. Senegal was the first team from the continent to pick up three points in the tournament so far before Nigeria learned from their mistakes and got back in the conversation as they beat Iceland.

On Sunday, 24th of June, Senegal were looking to repeating this feat as they matched up with fellow Group H member Japan. Les Lions de la Téranga coach, Aliou Cisse played around with his starting XI by switching the formation from 4-4-2 in the previous match to a 4-3-3 and accommodated Ndiaye in midfield. They started off well. It was in the 11th minute that Sadio Mane was accredited for scoring a goal for Senegal after Kawashima parried Youssouf Sabaly's shot into the feet of the Liverpool forward before the ball bounced off his shin and rolled into the net. Senegal continued to dominate in a first half that was typified by long balls and physical battles in the middle of the park. Japan came back into the match on the 34th minute through Inui’s curler that beat Khadim Ndiaye to level the matters.

Moussa Wague gave Senegal the lead for the second time in the match as he turned in Sabaly’s cross from a tight angle on the 71st minute. The Japanese coach made a bold decision of removing Shinji Kagawa and replaced him with Keisuke Honda before also throwing Shinji Okazaki into the match to rescue a point. The pair caused havoc in the opposition box, and it was written in the stars that they would leave a mark on the match. The Senegalese goalkeeper miscalculated a Japanese cross into the box and completely missed it which gifted Honda the opportunity to slot home just 7 minutes after Wague’s goal. The game ended in a 2-2 draw.

In all fairness, both teams created opportunities to score and showed the desire to stay in the competition, desire that has been lacking in the other African teams that have already been eliminated at this stage. The only question remaining is the omission of a young player on the rise. Up until now, we have not seen Keita Balde in this tournament. The young winger is highly rated and widely regarded to be the next big thing but is still yet to kick a ball in this tournament. Could it be that they have been reserving for the most challenging match (against Colombia) which will be the decider?

FT World Cup 2018: Tunisia goes down hard but they go down swinging

The odds really seem to be against the North African Les Aigles de Carthage in this tournament as they once again lost a game that they really needed to win to stay in the competition. Belgium did not just beat them, they scored more than double what Tunisia produced in an overwhelming 5-2 win. In case you are wondering how so much was accomplished, here is a snippet below.

Wahbi Khazri capitalized on the assist from Hamdi Nagguez and scored for Tunisia just before the referee blew the whistle. What a redemption for Tunisia! Earlier in the game, Dylan Bronn had taken a free kick from Saif-Eddine Khaoui which he then headed into the center of the net. Maybe this undesirable outcome can be accredited to the change of the players that started off the game from the Tunisian side. Farouk Ben Mustapha had to step in for the Tunisian goalkeeper who got injured during the game with England. Such a critical change during a desperate time is least likely going to yield good results in most cases, and this one happened to be one of them. Two of their players also had to exit the game before the end of the game, due to injury and this may have had an impact on the team too.

On the Belgium side, the drops of the victory started to pour in early into the game. Just after 6 minutes, a foul that worked in Belgium’s favor gave Eden Hazard a chance to capitalize with a penalty and he easily put the ball into the net while the Tunisian goalkeeper just knelt in front of the goal post. Lukaku was on fire too! Just before the teams adjourned for the first half, he had two goals under his belt for the Belgians. Even though he eventually left the game due to an injury, it did not stop the Red Devils from pouring in goals. Hazard and Batshuayi also each contributed one goal to the game which led to this incredible victory.

Tunisia needed to win this game, but we do not always get what we need. Tunisia will face Panama on Thursday, the 28th of June which might be their last game. As they pack their bags, they will say “we did not win the World Cup, but we participated and represented Africa in the World Cup!”

FT World Cup 2018: The Super Eagles of Nigeria find their mojo against Iceland

It is official, the Super Eagles are flying again. After a lifeless start to their FIFA World Cup campaign in Russia where they lost 2-0 to Croatia, Nigeria bounced back with a 2-0 victory of their own over the “fairytale team” Iceland. After going toe to toe with Lionel Messi’s Argentina in a 1-1 stalemate, the Icelanders surely headed into this encounter brimming with confidence to achieve yet another major upset on the biggest stages of them all, but it was not to be. The vengeful West African boys had other plans, in Ahmed Musa’s handwriting.

The Nigeria gaffer, Gernot Rohr, made three changes to the team that started against Croatia. He replaced forwards, Alex Iwobi and Odion Ighalo with Ahmed Musa and Kelechi Iheanacho, also opting for Omeruo in place of Abdullahi Shehu at the back. These changes meant he switched formation from a 4-2-3-1 to a 3-5-2 that provided more defensive cover in the form of two wing backs running up and down the wings, in Moses and Idowu. A position which Victor Moses has become accustomed to at Chelsea.

The first forty-five minutes were really nothing out of the ordinary, a plain Nigerian side that seemed to have a stable defense but no plan going forward. The Icelanders actually created fewer but more threatening chances, forcing a save from Uzoho from a free-kick early in the match. After the restart, the complexion of the match changed. Whatever Rohr said to the Super Eagles at halftime worked. Ahmed Musa pulled off a great technique to control a Victor Moses half-cross from the wing before smashing the ball into the net with the same foot, sending 180 million Nigerians and the whole of Africa into ecstasy. Twenty-five minutes later, Musa was at it again, Omeruo sent him through with a clearance that could have been mistaken for a pass, dribbling past one defender and according to Twitter fans, “made the goalkeeper lie in green pastures” and slammed the ball into the top corner. The CSKA Moscow man officially claimed the G.O.A.T (Greatest of all Time) accolade in the eyes of many Nigerians. Iceland had a chance to pull one goal back after being awarded a penalty in the 83rd minute which Gylfi Sigurdsson sent over the crossbar. 

After Lionel Messi and Argentina fell to a 3-0 at the hands of Luka Modric’s Croatia, it’s now all to play for in Group D. None of the teams have been knocked out yet, mathematically. Croatia sits on the top with a maximum of six points and a guaranteed round of 16 place but Nigeria, Argentina and Iceland will be vying for that second spot. The Super Eagles currently sit second with 3 points while the other two are both on a single point.

Nigeria will play Argentina on the 26th of June in what promises to be a fiery contest where everything will be on the line.

FT World Cup 2018: Morocco could not find a solution against Portugal

The World Cup hunt is as good as finished for the Lions of the Atlas. Morocco was knocked out of the 2018 FIFA World Cup finals in Russia on Wednesday after falling short against the European champions’ who showed experience and resolve. Portugal only needed an early single goal to bag all three of the points on offer in this Group B clash.

The odds were always against the North Africans heading into this tournament who were drawn into Group B against the global football powerhouses in the form of Spain and Portugal, and also sharing a group with the Asian masters, Iran. This group earmarked the “group of death” by most analysts has provided some of the most entertaining games of the tournament. Most fans would have expected Morocco to have a stronger showing in terms of results than they have had thus far, especially after having an impressive qualifying campaign where they conceded zero goals and had the support of an experienced coach in Herve Renard. They may not have quite met expectations but maybe it is more attributed to having failed to find the back of the net in their first two fixtures. They dominated the match against Iran, creating a couple of chances but unfortunately gifted all three points to the opposition after conceding an own goal in the 90th minute. Against Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal, the Real Madrid forward proved the difference early on. Ronaldo pounced on Joao Moutinho’s cross in the 4th minute and drove the ball into the net with a fierce header. Starting the match on the backfoot, the Moroccans had to dig really deep to save their World Cup dream and they left it all on the pitch. Hakim Ziyech was pulling strings in the midfield and Nordin Amrabat gave the Portuguese defense all sorts of problems with his pace, trickery and superhuman strength. Portugal seemed to be the underdogs throughout the entire match, sitting deep and letting Morocco play the beautiful game with a fluid and attractive style we all love.

One positive to take back to Rabat would be the fact that they have shown that an African team can outplay the best. Investment in scouting more clinical finishers for the Lions of the Atlas should be a priority in their continued efforts in building a formidable Moroccan side. It is not really all over yet, with their final match coming against Spain on the 25th June, they can still have a say on who progresses from the group with Portugal, Spain, and Iran sitting on four, four, and three points respectively. A shock-win over the 2010 World Cup Champions, Spain would not be such a bad farewell gift for Moroccan fans.

FT World Cup 2018: Russia continue victorious form against Egypt

The return of Mohammed Salah was not enough to inspire Egypt in their second match in Group A on Tuesday night as they lost 3-1 to World Cup hosts, Russia.

With Salah making a return to the starting XI after shaking off a shoulder injury, much was expected from “The Pharaohs” especially in the final third, however, that was not to be the case.

Ahmed Fathi’s bizarre own goal seemed to have paved way for more goals as Russia went rampant thereafter, adding two goals in quick succession, courtesy of Denis Cheryshev and Artem Dzyuba to kill the game off. Though Salah did pull a goal back for the Egyptians 20 minutes from time with a coolly struck penalty, the damage was already done and Egypt found it hard to break a resolute Russian defense in search for a comeback.

This was a game in which much was expected from Egypt especially with the return of Salah who had been sorely missed in the team’s first match against Uruguay. But even Salah’s presence couldn’t rally the team to victory as they failed to create clear-cut chances to trouble the Russian defense.

With two losses on the hump and one game left for them, it seems it might take all but a miracle for Egypt to salvage any chance of qualifying to the round of last 16. The Egyptians’ chances are hanging by a thread as they are now dependent on the outcome of Wednesday’s encounter between Uruguay and Saudi Arabia. Egypt currently sits at the bottom of Group A with zero points, with Russia leading the group with six points.

Is Egypt on the brink of exiting the World Cup, or can “The Pharaohs” still make a comeback and qualify for the round of 16?

FT World Cup 2018: Senegal Earn Three Important Points

After a long wait for a win by an African team at the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia, Senegal has finally broken the duck as they marched to a 2-1 victory against Poland. The British media has dubbed the result a ‘shock’ win but was it really unexpected? Our African football expert, Dennis Takaendesa, boldly predicted that Senegal would top Group H ahead of Colombia, Japan and Poland prior to this match. This is because of the fire-power that the African side possesses as well as their tactical discipline drilled into them by the new coach, Aliou Cisse. For those of you that missed the match, here’s a recap.

Senegal set up with a compact 4-4-2 formation that sought to cover the field and limit the passing lanes for the Polish team. Their goal was to starve Robert Lewandowski from having any impact in the game, and it worked effectively.

Poland had little in the match before Idrissa Gana Gueye took a shot from distance which deflected off of Cionek before rolling into the back of the net. 1-0 to Les Lions de la Téranga. Poland had to chase the game but were well and truly outmatched for most of it. 15 minutes into the second half, Cisse's team added a second through M’baye Niang which lifted the spirits of the fans. For some of us who were watching the match in the comforts of our homes, you could not imagine how much furniture was broken in our joyous celebrations as Senegal proved once again that they are not underdogs. Krychowiak scored a consolation in the 86th minute but it was not enough.

Senegal made a statement in their attempts to get out of the group stage. We analyzed how the African teams lost the previous matches and detailed out how Senegal should play. They did just that. Thank you, Senegal. We are now hungry for more.

FT World Cup 2018: Tunisia suffer heartbreaking loss against England

Fouls in soccer are inherently bad and referees are there to deal with them diligently, but for Tunisia, a careless foul from England help produced their first and only goal. Kyle Walker decided to stretch his elbow on Fakhreddine Ben Youssef which knocked him to the ground and the referee took notice of it. When the referee granted the penalty to Tunisia, Ferjani Sassi took it on behalf of the team and the ball hit the net just where it needed to.

Tunisia’s performance was more impressive in the second half as they strengthened their defensive line. They shifted to the 5-3-1-1 strategy, which tightened the bolts for them. England then struggled to get the ball past this compressed line of defense. Despite the pressure that Tunisia were able to create in the second half of the game, one goal was all they could get. This strategy was more or less employed throughout the game, however, the outcome was affected by two set-piece plays for England. 

The captain of the English team, Harry Kane, lived up to the moment scoring both goals for England, including the winner late on. He was in the right place at the right time to finish the ball off in the 11th minute after a save from the goalkeeper from the ensuing corner kick. Then, in the 91st minute, another corner kick and another example of excellent placement from Harry Kane that was complemented by his header, which came at just the right time to afford the victory to England.

Tunisia will look to rebound against Belgium on Saturday, the 23rd of June with possibly a new strategy and with hopes of repairing their damaged pride. While we wait for them to revitalize, and pump in new levels of energy, all African eyes will be on Senegal as it takes on Poland. This will be another chance to demonstrate what Africa has to offer at the World Cup.