Former Eagles player; Garba Lawal has pointed accusing fingers at Eagles captain and Defender Joseph Yobo for the slip which caused the Super Eagles their first opener in the Afcon 2013 against Burkina Faso forcing the team to settle for a 1-1 draw.
The match which has generated different reactions from football loving Nigerians would have been a good start for the Super Eagles had it been that the late goal was not conceded as the Super Eagles would have been leaders of the group C but they failed to pick up the maximum point which they almost had.
Now, with the way things stand in the group the Super Eagles will need a miracle to put thigs back in favour if they are to advance to the final of the tournament, else the Eagles will be on their way back to Nigeria after the group stages.
Super Eagles took the lead early in the first half but playing a man down when Efe Ambrose was sent off for a second yellow card, the Nigerians caved in to pressure from the Burkinabe who were elated with the late goal.
Garba Lawal who was amongst the victorious 1996 Atlanta Olympic Dream Team 1 said the captain of the team failed to provide the necessary leadership for the team as he said Yobo did not show enough confidence to motivate his less experienced mates.
Lawal said the former Everton of England defender committed so many tactical blunders which would have cost the Eagles greatly if they were playing against formidable countries like Cameroon, Algeria, Ivory Coast or Morocco.
The former Super Eagles utility player said he expected the captain to lead by example but instead he put up a dismal performance by exposing the defence to undue pressure by committing elementary errors.
“I want to blame Joseph Yobo for most of the problems that the Eagles suffered. As the captain of the team, I expected him to lead by example but he did not. Instead he committed so many errors that kept the defence under pressure.
“Had it been they played against a country like Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Algeria or Morocco, they would have been buried totally because of the mistakes that Yobo committed. He did not inspire confidence in the team”.
