Flying Eagles player ratings: Harcourt composed, Bameyi Motm, Okoro reliable, Oliseh quiet, Benjamin blunt

Nigeria's Flying Eagles were held to a goalless draw by Morocco in their second Group B match at the 2025 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations in Cairo.

 Despite failing to score, the team showed resilience in defense but lacked sharpness in attack.

Here’s how the players rated on a scale of 1 to 10:

The starters

Goalkeeper

Ebenezer Ifeanyi Harcourt: A composed performance between the sticks. Made some crucial interventions, particularly in the second half. Looked confident in claiming crosses, despite one nervy moment. 7.5/10

Defenders

Adamu Bajibir Maigari: Held his ground defensively but struggled with discipline early on, conceding a dangerous foul. Improved as the game progressed. 6.5/10

Daniel Bameyi: A true leader at the back. Intercepted several dangerous balls and was Nigeria’s most assured defender. His reading of the game was impressive. He was named Man of the Match by CAF. 8.5/10

Emmanuel Chukwu: Had a decent outing. Nearly scored from a corner in the first half but was otherwise steady without being spectacular. 6.5/10

Odinaka Emmanuel Okoro: Solid performance, especially in the air. Cleared the danger after Harcourt’s fumble and worked hard to keep Morocco at bay. 7/10

Midfielders and forwards 

Israel Yuma : Showed moments of attacking promise and created a half-chance in the first half with a good run into the box. Faded slightly in the second half. 6.5/10

Auwal Ibrahim: Put in a workmanlike display in midfield, closing spaces and pressing well, though he offered little going forward. 6/10

Divine Uchechukwu Oliseh: Had a quiet outing before being substituted late in stoppage time. Offered minimal influence in possession. 5.5/10

Clinton Jephta: Struggled to make an impact and received a yellow card. Was substituted in the 80th minute after a largely ineffective showing. 4.5/10

Precious Benjamin: Took responsibility for set-pieces but his freekick just missed the target. Otherwise lacked cutting edge in the final third. 5.5

Bidemi Olalekan Amole: Anonymous in attack and was hauled off at halftime. Failed to provide any real threat to Morocco’s defense.5/10

The substitutes

Rickson Mendos: Came on at halftime and added more urgency, though he received a yellow card for a foul. Showed energy but lacked composure.5/10

Maigana Tahir: Replaced Clinton Jephta in the 80th minute. Added some presence in the final third but didn’t get enough time to stamp his authority. 5.5/10

Kparobo Arierhi: Entered with ten minutes left. Had little time to influence the match but injected some pace. 5/10

Suleman Alabi: Substituted in the final minutes. No time to make an impact. N/A

Wale Adejumo

Photo Credit: CAF

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