AFCON 2023: Player ratings from Super Eagles’ 1-1 draw against Equatorial Guinea

Iban Salvador broke the deadlock in the 36th minute for Equatorial Guinea before Victor Osimhen responded with a headed goal two minutes later.

The game produced no further goals as both teams played a stalemate. Soccernet.ng rates the performance of the Nigerian players in at the Stade Olympique Ouattara in Ivory Coast.

1. Christian Nwabali 6.5/10: The Chippa United looked calm for most of the game. He claimed his crosses successfully and there was not much he could do when Iban Salvador’s well-placed shot went into the bottom corner.

2. Ola Aina 7/10: The Nottingham Forest full-back looked shaky during the first half jn his defensive duels, but grew into the game as time went on, providing width for the attackers, and nearly scoring for himself, but was denied a goal by Jesus Owono.

3. William Troost Ekong 6.5/10: Captain on the day, Ekong barely put any foot wrong. He commanded the backline properly and was vocal in leading the team.

4. Semi Ajayi 6.5/10: The West Bromwich Albion central defender struggled with the physicality of the game, losing several ground duels, and conceded two corner kicks. On the ball, he was solid, playing progressive passes to aid the team’s build up.

5. Zaidu Sanusi 6.0/10: The Porto full-back was solid defensively and his set piece deliveries weren’t bad. He had two chances to score at the opposing end, but fluffed his lines. He had another opportunity to play a final ball to Victor Osimhen, but got caught in two minds. He was replaced by Calvin Bassey towards the end of the game.

6. Frank Onyeka 7/10: The Brentford man put in a good shift, dropping in between the defense and midfield, picking up loose balls and winning the ball back for the team.

7. Yusuf Alhassan 7.2/10: Arguably the biggest revelation from the game, the Antwerp midfielder didn’t put a foot wrong on his Super Eagles debut. He was physically strong, and tried several times to get the team going from the midfield. His debut was cut short in the 67th minute after he was stretchered off due to an injury, and was replaced by Joe Ayodele Aribo.

8. Alex Iwobi 6.8/10: Iwobi dazzled in the first twenty minutes, but got less involved as the game went on. He forced a save out of Jesus Owono in the first minute of the game, but couldn’t do much after.

9. Ademola Lookman 7.5/10: The Atalanta man switched severally from the right flank to the left, causing the Equitoguinean defense all sorts of trouble. Unlucky to not get a goal himself, he put in his creative side to set up Victor Osimhen for Nigeria’s equalizer.

10. Moses Simon 6/10: The explosive Nantes winger struggled on the right flank. He could barely get any crosses in and the highlight of his game was his shot tipped onto the woodwork by Owono in the first half.

11. Victor Osimhen 7/10: The CAF player of the Year award winner scored Nigeria’s equalizer and caused all sorts of problems for the opposition defence, but was far from his best. His finishing wasn’t precise and it cost Nigeria three points, as he had two more chances to put the Super Eagles up, but he just couldn’t score.

Substitutes

Joe Aribo 6.5/10: The Southampton midfielder came on for the injured Alhassan Yusuf and created a chance in the late minutes of the game.

Samuel Chukwueze 4.5/10: The right winger’s decision making let him down most times when he came on. He beat his man and got lost on what to do.

Calvin Bassey: Came on to play left back for Sanusi late on, but couldn’t do much, same as Bright Osayi-Samuel.

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