'Until this day I don't understand' - Balogun details why Nigeria missed out on World Cup

Queens Park Rangers defender Leon Balogun has explained what went wrong in Nigeria's bid to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. 

Nigeria lost out on a place in the World Cup to the Black Stars of Ghana on the away goal rule after a scoreless first leg tie in Kumasi and 1-1 draw at the Moshood Abiola Stadium, Abuja back in March, with Balogun going the distance in both games. 

Gernot Rohr was sacked by the Amaju Pinnick led Nigeria Football Federation and replaced on interim basis by former international Austin Eguavoen but the Tunisia '94 Africa Cup of Nations winner could not steer the three-time African champions to a seventh World Cup appearance. 

In the second leg, a shot from Arsenal's Ghana captain Thomas Partey squirmed under the body of Francis Uzoho and went into the net but William Troost-Ekong equalised midway through the first half when he converted a penalty. 

Balogun highlighted that the Super Eagles' failure to score a crucial away goal in Kumasi was their downfall and wondered why FIFA didn't abolish the away goal rule for the World Cup playoffs. 

Speaking on The Beautiful Game Podcast, Balogun said : "It's the first leg, we did not score, that would have changed the whole picture probably.

"It's a bit funny because that season the away goal rule was scrapped everywhere. I don't know why they didn't do it in Africa. I have no clue, until this day I don't understand.

"We did go to Ghana to play that first leg and it was a tough game. There was this whole fuss about them changing the stadium last minute where they've never lost, and they said whether juju may or may not have been involved

"It was really, really tough and we ended up playing 0-0. I remember we had a meeting one or two days after and one of the staff said we're 70 percent through and I thought to myself that can't be right. 

"We played a goalless draw away from home, if that's helpful to anyone then it's Ghana. We said we have to just pour our hearts out for that game."

Balogun admitted that the fans showed overwhelming support for the national team which made the 1-1 draw a bitter pill to swallow. 

"Driving to the stadium on that day I was holding back tears because I was touched by the support. I've played with great support, I'm not trying to be disrespectful to any other place we've played with the national team before but Abuja that day was packed.

"I saw little boys, girls, families, elders, everybody rooting for us. The stadium was packed, it was unreal and I said to myself just for them we have to make it. 

"Obviously it was heartbreaking when we conceded that first goal, it was a tough one to take, came back with a penalty, we couldn't just break them down.

"We had a few chances but nothing really that got to shock them. In the end you have to say Ghana probably deserved it because we came hard for them.

"Second half they changed their shape and that was pretty much what took a bit of the wind out of us".

Balogun went the full ninety in all the matches played by the Super Eagles at the 2018 World Cup in Russia. 

Ifeanyi Emmanuel 

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