For the second time in four days, the Super Eagles produced a sterling comeback against a side they would have expected to beat anyway.
Looked at in that way, it seems a lot less remarkable than it actually is. It is in the details that so much comes to the fore, and none of it is ho-hum. Indeed, the win over Lesotho was characterized almost entirely by paradox.
Nigeria once again set up in the 4-3-3 shape that now appears to be the staple post-Africa Cup of Nations, and were far and away the dominant team in the piece at the Setsoto Stadium.
After overcoming the initial shot to the gut of the Lesotho goal in the 11th minute, Gernot Rohr’s side found a foothold in the game, and were comfortably the better side from about the 20th minute.
As soon as Samuel Chukwueze and (to a lesser extent) Moses Simon figured out where the space was – behind the Lesotho midfield – the Super Eagles began to create danger on a consistent basis. That was the key to bringing Victor Osimhen to life, although it is hardly the case that the Lille man needs too much of an invitation.
In the end, there was a distinct sense that the 4-2 scoreline flattered Lesotho to a great degree, so stark was the superiority the visitors held. Not even a hard, bouncy artificial surface could completely detract from that: for players like Joe Aribo and Alex Iwobi, it was a greater struggle, but one which they duly overcame. The latter even scored, and that noticeably raised his confidence, as well as his performance levels on the night.
GOAL
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