March 29, 2022. This is one day I don’t want to remember yet I cannot run away from. It was the day when Nigerian World Cup dream was dashed. A day David defeated Goliath again as in the Bible. A day when Ghana, the small country defeated the African giant Nigeria. Oh, what a day!
I ask myself: What went wrong? Well, a whole lot actually went wrong, in fact absurdly wrong. The eve before the game had already set the tone for what was to come. The utterly distressing and sorrowful news of how Nigerians on a train trip from Abuja to Kaduna were attacked by terrorists, causing the death of some, injuries to others and adoption of many still missing.
I want to use this opportunity to pray for the repose of our fellow Nigerians who lost their lives out of the growing insecurity in the country. Not exactly how you would want to prepare for a massive game of two rivals whose rivalry transcends football to other things like entertainment and even food, some calling it the jollof derby. It just couldn’t get bigger than that, to decide a World Cup spot.
At the time the draw was made, you would have thought Nigerians would have seen the draw as an “easy” one for the Super Eagles because the Black Stars were absolutely humiliated at the Africa Cup of Nations, not even winning a single game in the group stage. But you know, football doesn’t work that way, it just doesn’t. The fixture also had a little extra spice from the outside as South Africans would have been all behind the Super Eagles on account of a late controversial penalty awarded to Ghana in the deciding game of the qualifying group. It seemed like everything and everyone was against Ghana.
The first leg ended goalless in a match that didn’t live up to the hype. Ghana keeping a precious home clean sheet, not letting the Super Eagles score an away goal. Ghanaians happier and confident after the first leg knowing that for every goal in Abuja, Nigeria had to score twice. And exactly that was the scenario that played out.
It was time for the second leg, every Nigerian waking up still grieving the loss of their fellow Nigerians the night before, but hoping and being optimistic that in this sorrow we would somehow find joy in this sport that always brings us together as one. No north, no south, no west, we are all Nigerians and we all want to see our country in the World Cup. Everyone is pumped up. There’s vibrancy in the air, expectancy, optimism, belief, faith, hope, that today, no matter what, it was not going to end in tears but in celebrations. The government even shifted the closing hours to 1pm so everyone could go support their nation, spur the lads on against the Black Stars of Ghana and punch our ticket to Qatar 2022.
It’s time for kickoff, as you would’ve expected, a minute’s silence for the ones we lost in the absurd attack on a train the night before, and then game on!!! The balance of the game was slightly tilted to the Super Eagles. You would expect nothing less at home with the 60,000 spectators cheering the team on. It’s all going well until the dreaded moment, when Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey fired a grounder from outside the box which caught Francis Uzoho napping. Ghana 1, Nigeria 0. This isn’t what you will expect of a goalkeeper going for a World Cup. It is a strike you would expect your aging mother to keep out if faced with in a PTA novelty match at school.
Now a reaction had to come from the Super Eagles and it did eventually come in the 22nd minute when debutant Ademola Lookman was brought down by a Ghanaian defender, a challenge that was deemed worthy of a penalty after a VAR review which the Nigerian skipper William Troost-Ekong calmly dispatched to the surprise of almost every Nigerian. That was leadership at work. At that point you’re thinking there’s surely more goals to follow for the Eagles. Another did come in the 37th minute by my namesake Victor Osimhen but was ruled offside by the VAR.
Halftime and it’s 1-1. Nigeria would have to come out blazing hot to get the goals that would take them to Qatar but what will follow was definitely not going to go well with Nigerians everywhere. The second half performance dropped, you felt like the Super Eagles had no zeal, no eagerness to win the game, missed chances, slow passes, unnecessary fouls, miscommunication, you name everything that could possibly be bad about a team performance. It just wasn’t working. In the end the final whistle goes and Ghana get the World Cup ticket in our own backyard, even after a draw. Many hearts were broken, including mine. Many of us had planned to go support our country in Qatar, go experience another epic World Cup but that was all dissolved before our eyes. It was upsetting but not warranting the shameful events that occurred after the match by provocative and senseless supporters who thought vandalizing the whole stadium which was actually newly renovated, thanks to Mr. Aliko Dangote, was the next best thing to do and a way to vent their anger. Those who were involved should be ashamed of themselves. Violence is never the way. Yes it hurts but there are better ways of showing one’s frustration than that act of hooliganism.
It really hurts that when national anthems are being played and flags hoisted in Qatar, Nigeria would be absent. I actually like to see the positives in every situation. Maybe this wasn’t our time, maybe we weren’t just meant to make it to Qatar, maybe we need to get our acts together. So far, we are fumbling just like our football. We can’t score against the terrorists, we can’t make Nigeria a safer place to live and to invest. Maybe when we get our politics and our leadership right, the gods of football would shine their face on us and give us another go at another World Cup. May God help us to choose that person that will change this country for the best, not for the better. This is one time when sports, when football mixes with politics!