Sports
‘Why Super Eagles Could Reach AFCON Finals’
A William Troost-Ekong second half penalty secured a 1-0 win for Nigeria’s Super Eagles against hosts Côte d’Ivoire, in their second Group A game at the AFCON 2023 in Abidjan on Thursday.
The Nigerian players went into the game on the back of a disappointing 1-1 draw against Equatorial Guinea.
But, there is the belief that Nigeria’s win against Côte d’Ivoire could mean another AFCON final appearance.
This is because anytime Nigeria win or draw against Côte d’Ivoire, they always play in the final of that year’s AFCON.
Following this belief, here are four reasons to back the claim that Nigeria could be heading for another final appearance at this year’s tournament.
– NIGERIA 0-0 COTE D’IVOIRE (1980 AFCON/Group Stage)
The first time Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire met at the AFCON was the 1980 edition in the group stage.
It was the second group stage game for host Nigeria which ended goalless.
Despite the disappointing result, Nigeria went all the way to final to lift their first-ever AFCON title.
– NIGERIA 1-0 CÔTE D’IVOIRE (1990 AFCON/Group Stage)
Nigeria had to wait 10 years before they clashed with the Ivorians again at the AFCON, this time at Algiers 1990.
It was in another group game contest but this time Nigerian side won thanks to a goal from the late Rashidi Yekini.
It was the final group game for the Nigerian side which was a must win for them.
After eventually qualifying from the group stage alongside hosts Algeria to the semi-finals, the Nigerian side beat Zambia and advanced to the final.
Unfortunately, they lost 1-0 to Algeria thanks to a first half goal.
For the first time the Nigerian team met Côte d’Ivoire in the knockout stage at the AFCON and this time it was in the semi-finals at the 1994 edition in Tunisia.
Both teams tied at 2-2 after 120 minutes of a pulsating encounter, but it was the Nigerian side that progressed to the final after winning 4-2 in the ensuing penalty shootout.
In the final, a brace from Emmanuel Amuneke secured a 2-1 comeback win against a resolute Zambian side led by the legendary Kalusha Bwalya.
– NIGERIA 2-1 CÔTE D’IVOIRE (2013 AFCON/Quarter-finals)
The quarter-final clash at the 2013 AFCON saw Côte d’Ivoire tipped as favourites over a Nigerian side that struggled in the group stage.
But to everyone’s surprise Nigeria won 2-1 with goals coming from Emmanuel Emenike and Sunday Mba.
The win was the turnaround the Nigerian team needed, as they hammered Mali 4-1 in the semi-finals before edging Burkina Faso 1-0 in the final.
A well-known football pundit in the State, Chief Christopher Okonkwo has lauded the efforts and vision of the Super Eagles Coach Eric Chelle for going from one venue of the Nigeria Domestic Nigeria Professional Football League match to the other in monitoring Nigerian players, with a view to invite some exceptional good one discovered into the main stream of the Super Eagles team.
Okonkwo, who made the commendation in an interview at the Port Harcourt Club recently, described the positive move by Coach Chelle as a good step in the right direction, noting that the practice was how its been done in the past among any contracted coach assigned to tinker the Super Eagles team.
“Truly, it has been an old tradition in the country seeing any newly engaged Coach to lead the National team, visiting some our Nigeria League venues during the league matches to spot light some good talents that could be used to beef up some grey areas in the department of Eagles team”
He, however, frowned at the current situation where our coaches had continously been over depending on the use of foreign based players during invitation of players to the National camp, thereby, relegating the domestic home based league players to the background as if they have nothing much to offer to the team.
“I can vividly recall that the likes of great players in the mode of Finidi George, Taribo West, Kanu Nwankwo, Austin Okocha, Richard Owobokiri, Emmanuel Osuigwe among others started from Nigeria football league before they graduated to play in Europe through which they later invited to Super Eagles camp to represent Nigeria”
“Besides, I’m also of the view that going to secondary school football competitive games could equally serves as a a good platform to discover budding talents that could be nurtured to become great stars in near future”, Okonkwo frankly added.
Okonkwo, therefore, prayed that any football coach to be engaged by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to tinker the Super Eagles should be told not to confine himself in staying in big hotel alone but to be visiting some of our local league match venues, with a view to discover some good players that can be drafted into the Super Eagles team.
“Indeed, I stand to be challenged that there some young good players in the Nigeria Professional League. If spotted and exposed, could give the some of the invited foreign based players a stiff competitive fight in securing a postion in the team”, Okonkwo emphatically stated.
Ezechukwu, one of the youngest members of the Nigerian contingent at the championship in Ghana, said her ambition was to win the 100m title in style and cap it with a new personal record.
The fresh secondary school graduate explained that she is fully focused on contributing to Team Nigeria’s medal hopes and is determined to deliver strong performances across her events.
“My main objective in Ghana is to clinch the 100m title and the 4×100m,” Ezechukwu told Tidesports source.
“Nigeria can be assured of my very best and my commitment to the Team. I would love to set a new personal best in Ghana, but anything that comes, I will take it. The spirit in the team is high, and I think we are ready to go,” she said.
Ezechukwu, who was part of Nigeria’s women’s 4x100m relay squad at the World Relays in Botswana, said the experience gained from that competition has strengthened her mindset heading into the continental championships.
She admitted that she learned valuable lessons from her previous outing, including a difficult moment during the relay where an early error affected the team’s rhythm, but said she has used the experience to improve her discipline and composure.
“The secret is just being disciplined, training hard and trusting my coach and believing in God, and the result will show,” she added.
The teenager is part of a 41-member Nigerian team comprising 24 female and 17 male athletes competing at the championships, which begin today at the University of Ghana, Legon.
Nigeria are expected to compete across multiple track and field events as they aim for a strong finish against the continent’s elite athletes.
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