Emenike the new Heskey? 4 questions after Nigeria, Sudan

HAS EMENIKE METAMORPHOSED INTO HESKEY?

It seems Emile Heskey, the first non-scoring striker, has resurrected and now goes by the name Emmanuel Emenike.

The duo could well go as twins – in looks, built and style of play – but that’s not where the similarities end.

Heskey retired from international football after the 2010 World Cup but his 11 years involvement with England national team yielded 62 games and seven goals!

Now, Emenike has caught the non-scoring bug!

Despite having ratio 1.8 goals per game for the Super Eagles, the Fenebahce forward drew blanks in the four AFCON 2015 qualifiers.

Indeed, he last scored for Nigeria in 2013!

This metamorphosis reminds one of Franz Kafka book, The Metamorphosis, a novella first published in 1915.

The story begins, like in Heskey and Emenike’s, with a travelling salesman, Gregor Samsa (Emmanuel Emenike), waking to find himself transformed (metamorphosed) into a large, monstrous insect-like creature (Heskey).

The cause of Samsa’s (Emenike) transformation is never revealed, and Kafka himself never gave an explanation.

The rest of the novella deals with Samsa’s (Emenike’s) attempts to adjust to his new condition (non-scoring striker) as he deals with being a burden to his parents (fans) and sister (coach), who are repulsed by the horrible, verminous creature(Heskey) Samsa (Emenike) has become.

IS MUSA THE NEW GOAL KING?

It sounded laughable when Ahmed Musa said:

“I’m a bit like Real Madrid attacker Cristiano Ronaldo. We have the same style of play. I’m also fast, technically strong and eager to score.”

It still sounds laughable considering the gap, really a chasm that exists between the two No. 7s in terms of goals outlay, ability, and status.

So, Musa is not a bit like Ronaldo.

But yes, he’s fast, technically strong and definitely eager to score as well.

Musa scored two impressive goals against Argentina in Brazil to become the first Nigerian to ever bag a brace in a World Cup match.

There, he more than held his own against the South Americans midfield and defence with an array of stars, including Marcos Rojo, Ezekiel Garay and Javier Mascherano.

He did same against lesser Sudanese mortars of Akram El Hadi, ElHadj, Ali et al, bagging a brace in Abuja.

Musa has nine goals in 45 games for the Super Eagles and that pales in comparison with Ronaldo, who has scored 51 goals in 116 senior appearances for Portugal.

But Ronaldo leads the line for his country.

Why can’t Musa?

IS FREE THE NEW FEE?

The location of Abuja national stadium is not friendly to fans without cars or those who can’t hitch-hike!

Buses don’t ply that route, which is far removed from “civilization”.

Coupled with the fact that the Super Eagles were “wobbling and fumbling” in previous games, this match could hardly inspire much even in a die-hard, flagging-waving, and vuvuzela-blowing fan.

But throw the gates open and see the magic it conjures.

It did.

Yes, more like Harry Potter meeting Wizard of Oz!

Though, the 60, 000-capacity stadium could be said to be half-full or half-empty like the proverbial glass cup, the fans were on hand to lend their voices to Super Eagles first win of the qualification.

They came in their thousands despite many trekking to the venue and the attraction?

Free entry and exit!

IS QUALIFICATION BACK ON TRACK?

The three points in two games against Sudan makes it look possible, considering the fact that Super Eagles were only able to bag one point in their first two games.

Now with four points and in third position behind Congo (seven points) and South Africa (eight), Nigeria can book a ticket to Morocco if they are able to defeat Congo in Pointe Noire in November 15 and South Africa in Uyo (?) four days later.

That will give them 10 points that could guarantee a second-place finish based on the assumption that Congo will also lose to Sudan in Khartoum or Omdurman.

If Congo beat Sudan after losing to Nigeria and ends up with 10 points like the Super Eagles, then tiebreakers are applied in the following order:

• Number of points obtained in games between the two teams
• Goal difference in games between the teams
• Goals scored in games between the teams
• Away goals scored in games between the teams
• Goal difference in all games
• Goals scored in all games
• Drawing of lots.