AFCON 2023: Peseiro fails to convince, Osimhen wasteful as Chukwueze disappoints again

Nigeria are into the second round of AFCON 2023 after a hard-fought win over Guinea-Bissau in their final group stage match. 

An own goal from Opa Sangante in the 36th minute was all Jose Peseiro’s men needed to secure the maximum three points. 

The win sealed Nigeria’s place in the next round behind Equatorial Guinea, who stunned hosts Ivory Coast 4-0. 

However, while the Super Eagles' quest for a fourth AFCON title is alive, the performance against Guinea-Bissau was nothing to admire.  We take a look at some of the talking points from the game. 

The Portuguese tactician was praised for the way he set up the team in the first two games. 

The Super Eagles were the better team against Equatorial Guinea before they produced a defensive masterclass to stun Ivory Coast in their second match. 

However, going into the game against Guinea-Bissau, the Super Eagles were expected to be the better side. 

But despite their quality, the three-time African champions failed to show their dominance, which is partly Peseiro’s fault. 

The match against the Wild Dogs was a chance for him to set up a team that could take the game to its opponent. 

But surprisingly, the Portuguese tactician failed to start a recognisable creative midfielder while he also stuck with the three at the back. 

While the tactic might have worked against Ivory Coast, it stalled our creativity in the clash against Guinea-Bissau. 

As a result, it gave the Wild Dogs more freedom, which was why they dominated every statistic except in fouls and the scoreline.

Although the result is the most important thing, Peseiro must find a way for the team to play better when they are in possession. 

In fairness, you cannot fault the effort of Victor Osimhen, especially with the ways he applies himself in attack. 

But considering he is one of the top strikers in the world and he is Nigeria’s star man, this has been a poor tournament for him by his standards. 

The Napoli striker has been guilty of missing too many chances in the tournament. The story was the same against Guinea-Bissau, where he missed one big chance and got into promising positions. 

No player has missed more big chances than Osimhen in the tournament. At this stage, that is unacceptable. 

Chukwueze’s place on the team should now be questioned after the AC Milan man put in another disappointing performance against the Wild Dogs. 

The former Villarreal man was supposed to be one of the team’s creative outlets, but he was disappointing again. 

Despite having the ball in promising situations, Chukwueze's decision-making was once again lacking. 

It may be time for Peseiro to drop the 24-year-old, who has never looked convincing in a Super Eagles jersey.