Sports
By Benprince Ezeh
THE attention of all football lovers is turned to Cameroon for the Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON. It is no different for Nigerian football supporters, who will follow the matches of the Super Eagles. While some fans believe that the squad can bring the cup home, others are not too sure that they will achieve the feat.
The 33rd edition of the rescheduled 2021 AFCON kicked off on Sunday, January 9 in Cameroon. Twenty teams will battle each other to determine the next champion of the continent at the Olembe Stadium, which hosts the finals on Sunday, February 6.
The Super Eagles of Nigeria sealed qualification for the 2022 AFCON without losing a game during the qualifiers, making them one of the six teams to do so. They were also second in the countries that scored the highest number of goals in the qualifying stages just behind the defending champions, Algeria.
Considering the dominant nature of their qualification and the fact that the Super Eagles finished third at the last AFCON in Egypt, can Nigeria be among the favourites for the title.
Ex-Super Eagles midfielder and a winner of the 1994 edition of the tournament in Tunisia, Mutiu Adepoju said that the competition would be action-packed.
Speaking from his base in Spain, the former Real Sociedad star said that players like Mohamed Salah (Egypt), Sadio Mané (Senegal), and Wilfred Ndidi (Nigeria) would likely light up the tournament. However, he feels recent events may have an impact on the chances of the Super Eagles in Cameroon. “In the past two weeks and with what has been happening, the changing of coaches and all that. The team is not stable.
“I want to believe that the Nigerian spirit of when things are not going smoothly, we find a way of coming out of it and doing well in whatever we do. Probably, I will stay with that; I just have to be careful of what my expectations are, because of the situation we find ourselves in,” Adepoju said.
A couple of players from the Nigerian squad will miss the competition due to injuries, Covid restrictions and refusal of their clubs to release them. Notably among them are Victor Osimhen of Napoli (Italy), the top scorer at the last edition of tourney, Odion Ighalo of Al Shabab (Saudi Arabia) or Emmanuel Dennis of Watford Football Club (England).
Olalekan Yusuff, a football pundit does not see the Super Eagles winning the 2021 edition of the Africa Cup of Nations.
“Algeria’s team are contenders, who are also the defending champion of this tournament. The chances of the Super Eagles leave much to be excited about for this tournament, I wish them the very best.
“A semi-final finish will turn out to be a good one for them, but not a win for Nigeria,” he said.
Chibuzor Okoro, a football lover, said that the absence of Nigeria’s main goal scorer is nothing to worry about. “We may not be able to back our strikers at the moment because Oshimen is injured right now, and Onuacho is also out. But we have Samuel Chukwueze, Moses Simon and Ahmed Musa.
“From the back William Troost-Ekong is in a great form right now, at the middle of the pack there is Wilfred Ndidi, Joe Aribo and Kelechi Nwakali, this is why I think the Super Eagles might win this particular AFCON to make it the fourth one,” he said.
He further added that the team would get to at least the semi-final stage of the competition.
Femi Olatunji, another football lover explained that many people are writing the eagles out because of the absence of Oshimen, but they forget that we are so blessed at the final third of the field.
“We have Kelechi Iheanacho of Leicester City, one of the key players in Gernot Rohr’s set up, hardworking and talented, but many pundits still have the feeling that he is not being properly utilized by the coach.
“Taiwo Awoniyi is among the top scorers in Bundesliga with nine goals, he has 13 goals in all competitions for Union Berlin so far this season. The likes of Cyril Dessers, David Okereke, Sadiq Umar, Terem Moffi, Stephen Odey etc who have all been in great form for their clubs, but remain far from contention for a consistent Super Eagles spot, but many would say we don’t stand a change.
“I believe in the crop of players we are taking to the tournament and these boys would shock everyone, starting with the defeat of the Pharaohs on Tuesday January 11,” he said.
Football fans in Nigeria and indeed across the continent are excited and eager for the games, many say they see the tournament as an opportunity for the current African players to showcase their best and get big European clubs calling for their services.
Tags: Africa Cup of Nations Benprince Ezeh Mutiu Adepoju Olalekan Yusuff Super Eagles
