Have the Eagles been Super so far in Brazil?

Nigeria may have qualified for the last 16, but have Stephen Keshi's team truly realised their potential at the World Cup this summer?

It's no longer news that the Super Eagles of Nigeriawere the first African team to qualify for the party in Brazil, what is very much in the breeze is the fact the fact that they follwed-up that achievement
by being the first African team to qualify for the second round.

While the Super Eagles have been joined by Algeria, their successes come in sharp contrast to the failings (and indignities) of Cameroon, Ghana and the Ivory Coast.

It hasn't been a perfect campaign ,however, and this feature considers the good alongside the bad.

The Surprise Inclusions Particularly, they've been the ones that has surprised many the most, you cannot stop biting back your previous thought and verdict on them. Match by match they been improving their games and outstanding.

The less-fancied Michael Babatunde has been a handful for opposing sides whether playing through the middle or the flanks. The highlight of his outing being his darting run through the Argentine midfield, as well as his patient and well-calculated pass which created Ahmed Musa and Nigeria's first goal against Argentina, We might have to make do without him after he was stricken on the arm by a trademark shot from Ogenyi Onazi in that encounter.

Juwon Oshaniwa has also played his heart out at the left-back position. He's been massive running down the left wing defending or attacking and has made most forget about first choice Elderson
Elchiejile.

I wrote a piece on the inclusion of one of the fans' favourites Ejike Uzoenyi - disappointingly, my verdict has been subdued by the minutes and impact he's had so far at Brazil and in contrast Juwon Oshaniwa and Michael Babatunde have been impressive.

Could Uzoenyi be set to
receive his chance now that Babatunde is out injured? Controversial striker Osaze Odemwingie has taken his time to play
himself into our hearts with his Man of the Match performance against Bosnia & Herzegovina. His trickery, finesse and shooting ability hasn't gone unnoticed at Brazil.

I previously wrote an article on the need for an alternate plan for coach Steven Keshi without the team's main players John Obi Mikel & Victor Moses given their on-off activities at their respective clubs during the regular season. Three months down the line, Mikel and Moses are underperforming and unfit respectively at the World Cup.

While the coach has impressed in integrating other wide players into
the team in absence of Moses, the reverse has been found in Mikel's
case.