Nigerian media have slammed Rangers trio Calvin Bassey, Joe Aribo and Leon Balogun after the national team’s chaotic World Cup exit.
The game against fierce rivals Ghana in Abuja ended 1-1, a result which meant the away side went through on away goals and Nigeria eliminated from the World Cup playoffs.
Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong had equalised with a penalty to cancel out Thomas Partey's opener after a calamity from keeper Francis Uzoho.
Rangers midfielder Aribo then slipped a through ball to Victor Osimhen to score, but the goal was chalked off for offside.
It was Bassey's full debut for his country but he was hooked just before the full time whistle as Nigeria chased a goal to send them through.
However, despite their efforts, the Rangers collective were given short shrift by a furious national media.
Sports title The Cable had particular venom for debutant Bassey who was given a mark of one out of five for his performance. They described the defenders' night as, "a baptism of fire."
They added: "The left-back (was) porous in dangerous situations but was rescued by his teammates.”
Meanwhile creative midfielder Joe Aribo was described as “languid as usual” and landed a mark of two out of five. The report said: “Ghana’s tough tackling and a hard pitch lacking zip combined to slow him down. He also lost concentration on numerous occasions where he could have delivered the killer pass but failed to collect the ball.
"He went deeper in the second period and contributed to a midfield that slept in the face of no pressure from the Black Stars.”
Team mate Balogun received the same two out of five mark but did get some praise for covering for some of Bassey’s supposedly wayward play. “Another average display from the Rangers man who covered excellently for Bassey and was eager to bring the ball out of attack even though his accuracy with the pass was off on the night.”
Also receiving stick from The Cable was one-time Rangers flop Umar Sadiq, who saw a fruitless loan spell at Ibrox terminated early in 2018. In an opinion possibly familiar to Rangers fans the article described him as “The last throw of the dice as Nigeria put up a feeble, inexistent late charge.”
