Eagles missed Afcon ticket from start

Former Nigerian manager Adegboye Onigbinde has said pointedly that the Super Eagles missed the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations ticket in the home loss to the Red Devils of Congo.

The Afcon champions were held to 2-2 draw by a 10-man Bafana Bafana of South Africa in the final day qualifying match on Wednesday at the Akwa Ibom Stadium, Uyo.

A brace from AFC Bournemouth striker Tokelo Anthony Rantie gave the South Africans a share of the spoils while substitute striker Sone Aluko’s brace evened the score for Nigeria but counted for nothing as the Cup holders bowed out from the race to Equatorial Guinea 2015 Afcon championship.

A highly disappointed Onigbinde said it was unfortunate that the Eagles will not have the opportunity to defend the title they won in South Africa in 2013 when football hostilities start next January in Equatorial Guinea.

“It’s most unfortunate playing a decisive Afcon qualifier at home ground at same time being unable to snap up the needed victory.

“The 2-2 draw against South Africa that saw us clearly as outsiders as far as the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea is concerned started way back in the home defeat to Congo Brazzaville right here at our backyard in Calabar as well as the unimpressive barren draw in South Africa.

“So we actually lost the 2015 Afcon ticket right from the beginning not just today (Wednesday) we played a 2-2 draw against South Africa.

“It makes no sense crying when the head is off but I’m highly disappointed that we couldn’t qualify to defend our title in Equatorial Guinea,” said Onigbinde to supersport.com.

Onigbinde will not enter into discourse whether the return of Eagles manager Stephen Keshi has counted for nothing.

“It’s not for me to comment on the issue the truth is that nobody is happy with the reality on the ground, which is our inability to pick one of the group’s tickets.

“We’re not doing lot of things right, I think the day we instill the right developmental programme in place as well as right administration we’ll stop to struggle to qualify for major championships,” said Onigbinde.

Nigeria finished the 2015 Afcon campaign in third spot on eight points behind leaders and group qualifiers, South Africa on 12 points and Congo Brazzaville on 10 points respectively.