Former Nigerian midfielder Samuel Elijah insists the Super Eagles have key areas to improve in despite their perfect record at the recently concluded group stage of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, Footynaija.com reports.
The Super Eagles head into the round of 16 full of confidence after navigating the group stage unscathed. Eric Chelle’s men enjoyed well deserved victories over the likes of Tanzania, Tunisia and Uganda to finish top of Group C with nine points.
Their performances at the tournament so far, especially in attack, have largely earned them plaudits from fans and pundits alike with the three time African champions boasting a scoring record of eight goals in three games.
That tally was the highest recorded by any team in the tournament but impressive as that is, it hasn’t been enough for Elijah who insists that the Super Eagles midfield need to do better in terms of creating chances for the strikers.
“The team did well by winning all their games and qualifying for the round of 16. However, I have reservations about the quality of football they have played,” the former midfielder told Footy-Africa in a recent interview.
“I think they have not played well as a team, and this is one of the reasons a striker like Victor Osimhen is struggling to score many goals.
“The midfield is not creating enough chances for the strikers, which is why I think Iwobi needs to step up.
“He is trying, but he can do more for the team by improving his chance creation. Onyedika is also a solid option who could come in and form a good partnership with Iwobi and Ndidi.”
Despite Elijah’s call for more creativity from the middle of the park, many would feel that a more pressing area of concern for the Super Eagles is their seemingly porous defense.
Having failed to keep a clean sheet in the tournament so far, they’ll know that they need to make major improvements in terms of defending their box better and preventing opposition penetration.
