Former Nigeria international Dimeji Lawal during an exclusive interview with Footy-Africa praised DR Congo’s impressive performance in their FIFA World Cup draw against Portugal, describing the result as a statement of intent from the African nation.
Speaking to Footy-Africa, Lawal admitted he had been surprised by the quality of the Congolese performance.
“It’s unexpected, but it was a fantastic performance from the Congolese team. You see, they made Portugal look ordinary in the second half of the game. After Portugal scored the first goal, the Congolese came out strongly, and I can’t even describe or express my feelings because I never expected such a performance from them.”
“I can tell you that if they continue like this, they will go far in the competition. They put on a very, very good show, and that demonstrates why they qualified from our group. It’s all about commitment, dedication, and working for the flag.”
The Congolese, making their return to the World Cup after a lengthy absence, produced a disciplined display to earn a 1-1 draw against a Portugal side led by Cristiano Ronaldo.
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Portugal took the lead through Joao Neves, but Newcastle United forward Yoane Wissa levelled with a well-taken header on the stroke of half-time. DR Congo then held firm in the second half, frustrating their more fancied opponents and securing a valuable point in their opening fixture.
Nigeria comparison
DR Congo’s qualification campaign was one of the stories of the African qualifiers, with the Leopards overcoming both Nigeria and Cameroon before defeating Jamaica in the intercontinental play-off to secure their place at the tournament.
Their performance against Portugal sparked debate on social media, with some supporters suggesting Nigeria would not have fared any better, while others argued the Super Eagles could have beaten Portugal.
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Lawal believes Nigeria’s failure to reach the tournament was largely down to shortcomings during the qualification campaign rather than a lack of quality.
“Well, you see, different times bring different situations. I think during the qualifying series, we were very complacent. That’s just the truth. There were strikes before major games, players were not arriving on time, and there were many distractions. But when it becomes the World Cup proper, the mentality is entirely different.”
“The level of commitment changes because you know the whole world is watching you. It’s either you perform well for yourself and your country, or you perform poorly for yourself and your country. So, I think if Nigeria were in this tournament, we would not do poorly. That is the truth. Unfortunately, we did not give our best to qualify for the tournament. That is the difference.”
Lawal defends Ronaldo
While Portugal were unable to secure victory, much of the post-match discussion focused on Cristiano Ronaldo’s influence on the game.
The veteran forward faced criticism from some observers, with calls for Portugal to consider alternative options in attack for their remaining group matches.
Lawal, however, strongly disagreed with those suggestions and argued that Ronaldo’s tactical contribution was being overlooked.
“No, I disagree with that. I do not support the idea of Portugal moving away from Ronaldo. Sometimes, football is all about tactics, and people tend to look at things from only one angle. I can tell you categorically that one reason he was left on the field was to keep the opposition’s back line occupied and prevent them from joining the attack.”
“Their attention and focus were completely on Ronaldo. You could see that clearly. Because of that, they could not always commit additional players forward, which reduced their numerical advantage in attack. The only mistake Portugal made in that game was failing to utilize the spaces and openings that Ronaldo created by occupying those defenders.”
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“There was never a moment when you saw the Congolese back four confidently joining the attack. Go and watch the game again. Because of Ronaldo, they remained cautious. It was part of Portugal’s tactical approach. He occupied the defenders, but Portugal failed to take advantage of the spaces he created for the other players.”
‘Portugal should exploit the space Ronaldo creates’
Looking ahead to Portugal’s remaining matches, Lawal believes the team should continue to utilise Ronaldo’s presence but become more effective in capitalising on the opportunities he creates for teammates.
“They do not have to rely solely on Ronaldo for goals. Ronaldo creates opportunities for his teammates because whenever Portugal attacks, you see two or three players marking him. That means there is space elsewhere on the pitch.”
“That is where the Portuguese team should have taken advantage. They should have exploited the openings that Ronaldo was creating,” he concluded.
