Tolu Arokodare came off the bench to score twice in 10 minutes as Nigeria beat Tanzania 3-1, impressing head coach Eric Chelle while also highlighting a tactical limitation in the striker’s game.
Nigeria struggled to break Tanzania down in the first half and were level at 1-1 when Arokodare was introduced. The Ajax forward quickly changed the match, scoring twice to secure victory for the Super Eagles.
After the game, the ANS agency asked Chelle why Arokodare had not started.
“It depends on the players available to us. If we want to press high, we need players with stamina. Tolu is very tall, so that type of pressing can be difficult for him,” said Chelle.
Arokodare’s arrival also prompted the Nigeria manager to adjust his formation. The team moved to a flat 4-4-2 and adopted a more direct approach, with greater emphasis on using the flanks.
“We started playing in a flat 4-4-2. Our game became more direct. As you saw in the second half, we looked more often to use the wings,” Chelle said.
“We wanted to create one-on-one situations there and put crosses into the box. After all, Tolu’s strength is in the penalty area.”
The Nigeria manager was emphatic about Arokodare’s finishing ability when the forward gets into the box.
“If he can get the ball into the penalty area, he is probably the best striker in the world at the moment,” Chelle said. “He played very well and I am happy for him.”
However, Chelle warned that Nigeria could not spend long celebrating the result, with the return fixture against Tanzania scheduled for Tuesday in Tanzania.
“We cannot dwell on this success because we play again on Tuesday,” he added.
Tanzania’s Argentine manager, Miguel Angel Gamondi, was also impressed by the impact of Arokodare and the other Nigeria substitutes.
“Nigeria had possession of the ball in the first half, but rarely created clear chances. In the second half, we faced substitutes of a completely different calibre,” Gamondi said after the match.
“Tall and powerful forwards. That is what made the difference today.”
