Why Eagles lost to Argentina- Okocha

Former Nigeria captain Austin Okocha has attributed the Super Eagles' early exit at the 2018 World Cup to inexperience.

The Eagles lost to Argentina with 2-1 in their last group match on Tuesday to exit the tournament.

A lack-luster Argentina team advanced to the knockout stages after Lionel Messi and Marco Rojo scored either side of a Victor Moses' converted spot kick.

READ ALSO: My young team will be ready in 2022- Rohr

It was the fifth time that the Nigeria team was losing to Argentina at the World Cup.

Okocha, who was a guest analyst on Supersport during the game, said the Eagles panicked in the first half and came back in the second half of the match but failed to convert their chances before the Argentine's scored the winner.

The former Bolton Wanderers' captain said, "Francis Uzoho kept us in the game with the saves he made in the second half. We panicked in the first half but the players fought back in the second.

"It was going to be tough for us and it lived up to that and it went to the last three minutes, but I think we have to look at the bigger picture. For most of these players it was the first time.

"The penalty was a gift from Mascherano but then I thought we started the second half better. We got ourselves in better places. It was a fantastic penalty from Moses but I think we should have put Argentina under more pressure.

"There was a foul on (Kelechi) Iheanacho in the first half but it was not awarded because nobody appealed to the referee. They didn't put the referee under pressure. The defender raised his foot too high to clear the ball and hit Iheanacho on the head. For the second one, it was unfortunate that the referee didn't award it despite consulting the VAR and Rojo got away with that one."


Odion Ighalo failed to convert some chances in the match and the ChangchungYatai striker extended his goal drought to eight games for the Eagles. The 29-year-old has scored just four goals in 21 games for the Eagles.

READ ALSO: Police deny shooting Ogun teacher, demand proof

Samson Folarin

The Ogun State Police Command has denied allegations by a civil servant in the state, Ola Hammed, that an operative of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad attached to the command shot him in the leg.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, demanded proof of the allegations, adding that investigations by the command showed that Hammed was injured himself after joining a mob to stone policemen in the Ibara, Abeokuta area.

PUNCH Metro had reported that the Physics teacher claimed that some policemen had been attacked by a mob in the area for beating up a resident.

He said the policemen opened fire on the crowd and as commuters took to their heels, he was accosted by one of the officers, who accused him of being among the mob.

He said while explaining to the cop that he was not in the crowd, he was shot in the leg.

Hammed lamented that the police had refused to investigate the incident or arrest the cop who shot him.

Oyeyemi  on Wednesday, said the teacher lied. He said, “Our operatives  are stationed at Panseke under bridge. We stationed them there due to the incessant robberies in the area. They had sighted a vehicle passing by on that day. When they stopped it, the driver said he was going somewhere and they allowed him to go. Soon after, they saw him drive by them again. They stopped him for a search and he said he was a soldier.

“The driver started dragging with the SARS operatives and in the process slapped one of the policemen, who returned the slap. Some soldiers nearby were called to identify him and they said he was an imposter. The policemen then said they were going to arrest him for impersonation.

“He was about to be arrested when some hoodlums started throwing stones at the policemen. Many of our men got seriously injured during that attack. The policemen had to shoot into the air to scare away the hoodlums.

“This man (Hammed) was among those who threw stones at the officers. He was running away when he sustained the injuries. He said he was shot in the leg, how is that possible when the injuries were on the sole of his foot? Was he asked to raise his leg so that they could shoot him directly in the sole?”

Oyeyemi noted that the police had a medical report which indicated that the injuries were not from a gunshot, adding that Hammed was only whipping up sentiments.

Hammed, in his reaction, insisted that he was shot in the leg and identified the cop who shot him as one AY.

He said the SARS commander and Oyeyemi tried to appease the residents in a meeting, adding that he (Hammed) had no reason to lay “such serious allegations against the officers.”

“Does my wound look like a cut from a sharp object? Only God can judge righteously,” he added.