Sports
AFCON: Nigeria, Egypt Cracker Will Determine S’Eagles Capacity – Peterside
A well-known football buff in the state, Warisenibo John Mark Dodd Peterside, believes that the Super Eagles of Nigeria’s first game against Pharaohs of Egypt would be used as a yard stick to determine the true cohesion, standing and readiness of the Nigeria team in this year’s Africa Cup of Nations Championship which commenced yesterday in Cameroon.
Peterside, who stated this while speaking in an interview via telephone recently, noted that he was not in doubt that the encounter between the two notable countries would be a cracker to watch, having known their pedigree in African football setting over the years.
“Honestly, the Eagles team will have their hands full in containing the seven-time African champions, the Pharaohs of Egypt who are known to be pace setters.
He nevertheless expressed confidence in the ability of Coach Austine Eguavoen to lead the Eagles team well except that short of time for proper blending of the players might pose to be his greatest challenge, hence will not be in a haste to call for his head if he fails to record an appreciable result from the championship in Cameroon.
“Interestingly, the 23 man Eagles squad he has assembled for the prosecution of the biennial Africa Cup of Nations Championship are okay but it is important that he must ensure that discipline was instilled into the team as well as coming out with an appreciable football tactics that will improve the team’s pattern of play even if they fail to win their game as a result of one ill-luck on the other.
“Infact, I stand to be corrected that the good noting of the Eagles team in Cameroon despite its short period of camping will depend on the kind of football tactics coach Eguaveon will adopt.
Asked on which of the teams in Group D could pose a serious threat to Eagles’ ambition of qualifying for the next stage of the championship, the outspoken Peterside who has widely travelled along with the game of football held the view that none of the four teams in Group D should be taken for granted as they are all potential winners, having come out qualified from the various groups in Africa.
“Though, Guinea Bissua appears to be an underdog side on paper but I can assure you from recent experience that there is no team in Africa that could be described as minnows and therefore it will be a big mistake for Supper Eagles team to underrate any of her opponents who are eager to make history for themselves in the championship.
It would be pertinent to note that Nigeria Super Eagles will be opening her account in the Nations Cup contest against Pharaohs of Egypt tomorrow.
Iwobi spoke to Tidesports source ahead of Nigeria’s crunch playoff semi-final against Gabon on Thursday, November 13, in Rabat, Morocco.
The 28-year-old was reacting to Nigeria’s shaky World Cup qualifying campaign that saw the Eagles finish second in Group C behind South Africa’s Bafana Bafana.
“We’ve managed to rescue ourselves from the dead,” Iwobi told Tidesports source.
We know we have the players and the abilities to compete against any other country in the world.”
The Fulham star pointed to Nigeria’s star power, highlighting African Footballer of the Year winners Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen as proof of the squad’s quality.
“We have last year’s African best player (Ademola Lookman), the year before that (Victor Osimhen),” he said.
“It’ll be a shame if we don’t make it, but we have a lot of confidence. We just have to prove it to ourselves.”
Nigeria’s path to the United States, Canada and Mexico has been turbulent, with two coaches departing during the early stages of qualifying before Éric Chelle steadied the ship to steer the Super Eagles into November’s CAF playoffs.
Four nations from the continent – Nigeria, Cameroon, DR Congo and Gabon – will vie for a solitary spot to compete in next March’s inter-confederation playoffs, with a view to joining the already nine qualified African nations at the Finals.
It would mark Iwobi’s second appearance at the World Cup Finals and the Super Eagles’ first since the 2018 edition of the competition.
Back then, Iwobi featured in all three games as Nigeria was knocked out in the group stage.
The Chief Executive Officer(CEO) and Publisher of the Atlantic Bell Online medium, Mr. Celestine Ogolo has advised sports writers in Nigeria to diversify in sports writing and not to concentrate on football reporting alone.
The Deputy National President of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) Mr. Bonny Nyong has expressed commitment to support sports development and move SWAN forward.