…Nigeria Tipped to Lift the Cup after Exit of Giant African Teams.
Angola is relying on corporate gifts to cage the Super Eagles of Nigeria when the two sides meet in the first quarterfinal of the 2023 African Cup of Nations at the Houphouet Boigny Stadium in Abidjan, Ivory Coast Today Friday 2nd february at 6 pm.
Corporate organizations have been inducing the Palancas Negras (Stable Antelopes) with mouth watery offers in the Carrot and Stick economic model. Angolan Bank, Banco Keve promised each player $9.6K; Angolan Diamond Company, Social EP promised the team a lump sum of $250k; the Bai Group has already forwarded $6k to each player for beating Namibia in the Round of 16 while their Telecom Giants, United gifted each player an iPhone 15 for pocketing Namibia informing them there is more to come if they can stop Nigeria.
Instead, Nigeria is training quietly burdened with the late confirmation that Goalkeeper Nwabili will be available against Angola and the random doping test to three of their top players in Victor Osimhen, William Ekong and Ademola Lookman by CAF. CAf does not recognize the psychology of Nigerians that when any stakeholder tries to corner them that is when they perform better. Angola may need to learn from the Tobi Amusan issue where the world Athletic body attempted to sanction her. She just broke another record.
The dope test may make the Super Eagles who are suffering from a kwashiorkor of goals having scored only 5 goals so far with none from Osimhen who was highest goal scorer at the qualifying stages and yet to score to explode. Ditto Chukwueze, Simon and even old horse Kelechi.
It is important to inform you that Nigeria is now automatic favorite to lift the cup after the exit of Senegal, Morocco, Egypt, Algeria and Tunisia who football stake holders in Africa perceive can cage the Super Eagles.
The Camp represented by iron man in defence, Omeruo refused to join usual confrontational statements of Sports group or individuals before any confrontation saying “we will do our talking on the field of play on Friday” but Stand in Captain and the Capone of Defence, Ekong looking on to the green grass in training said “it will be difficult for their coach, Jose Peseiro to select his team against Angola”. That is correct because Nigeria has a crop of world star attackers who can roast the Antelopes of Angola for ‘Asun’ a barbecue delicacy in Nigeria and end talks within the first half.
Nigeria scored in each match they have played, 1-1 against Equatorial Guinea; dumped the Elephants of Ivory Coast by a lone goal and piped Guinea Bissau by a lone goal all at group stages before halting the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon 2-0 in a pulsating Round of 16 game. She scored 5 goals so far and conceded 1.
Angola played 1-1 with Algeria; dispatched Mauritania 3-2; humbled the Stallions of Burkina Faso 2-0 at the group stages before arresting the Brave Warriors of Namibia 3-0 in the Round of 16 games.
By the latest performances, Angola looks better scorers but the fact that Nigeria kept three consecutive clean sheets (not conceding a single goal in a match) against Angola’s two clean sheets may show Angola there is work to do whereas Nigeria has said the knockout stages is a different kettle of fishes for the goals are coming.
I recall Nigeria played 1-1 with Angola on 18th June 2005 in a world cup match; played another 1-1 in a friendly on 6th January 2016 and on 29th January 2018 at the CHAN quarterfinals like this Nigeria won 2-1 in a match handled by Ref Sadok Telmi of Tanzania at the Stade Ibn Batouta, Tangier. Angola first scored through Vladimiro Felix known as Va in the 56th minute before Anthony Okpotu equalized in 90+2 minute and during extra time Gabriel Okechukwu ended arguments scoring at 109th minute.
If the spirit of the dead can win matches, Nigerians are already urging the Super Eagles to avenge the death of their kinsman; Rome qualified Lawyer and football crazy, Sam Okwaraji who slumped in the match against Angola in a Group C 2nd round world cup qualifier at the National Stadium, Lagos and never rose on 12th August 1989. Ref was Hounnake Kouassi and attendance was 60,000.
Angola had sent comforting words to the Nigerian Football Authorities but Nigerians seem not to want to forget the painful loss of Okwaraji who was replaced in the 83rd minute by Dahiru Sadi by the Nigerian Coach, Paul Hamilton.
Nigeria ranked 42 in the world and 6th in Africa is making her 26th appearance at AFCON. She is three times champion with some impressive podium finish. She got Bronze at Ethiopia 76 beating Egypt 3-2; bagged another Bronze in Ghana 78 beating Tunisia 2-0; won in Lagos at 1980 beating Algeria 3-0; got the Silver in three consecutive competitions – Ivory Coast 1984 losing to Cameroon 3-1, at Morocco 88 losing again to Cameroon 0-1 and Algeria 90 losing to Algeria by a lone goal.
Nigeria got Bronze at Senegal 92 beating rivals Cameroon 2-1; became champions at Tunisia 94 with a 2-1 win over Zambia; again lost to Cameroon when Nigeria/Ghana hosted in 2000 via 4-3 penalty shootouts after 2-2 scores to bag the Silver; Got the Bronze with a lone goal victory over Mali at Mali 2002; back to Tunisia in 2004 Nigeria won Bronze with a lone goal victory over Senegal; at Egypt 2006 Nigeria again beat Senegal 1-0 to win the Bronze; in 2010 at Angola Nigeria beat Algeria by a lone goal to win Bronze; she came back at South Africa 2013 under Stephen Keshi to win the trophy beating the Stallions of Burkina Faso by a lone goal scored by Sunday Mba and in 2019 she got the Bronze at Egypt in a lone goal victory over Tunisia. Please note that only podium finish records are presented concerning Nigeria.
The Black Stable Antelopes of Angola ranked 117 in the world is not among the top 10 in Africa and has never had a podium finish.
It is pertinent to mention that five of the surviving eight teams namely Nigeria, Guinea, Mali, Cote D’ivore and Cape Verde are from West Africa meaning that the West Africans has more chances at lifting the trophy. South Africa zone has two teams in South Africa and Angola while DR Congo is from Central African zone. No North or East African zones still standing.
If Nigeria beats Angola on Friday, she will meet the winner of the Cape Verde versus South Africa quarterfinals in the semifinals on Wednesday at 6pm while the second semifinal will be DR Congo/Guinea versus Mali/Cote D’Ivore at 9pm.
QUATERFINAL PAIRINGS:
1. Nigeria vs Angola on Friday at 6pm at Boigny Stadium
2. DR Congo vs Guinea on Friday at 9pm at Olympic Stadium.
3. Mali vs Ivory Coast on Saturday at 6pm at Stade Bouke.
4. Cape Verde vs South Africa on Saturday at 9pm in Yamoussoukro.
CAF says the winner of the tournament will cart home $7m; the Runners-up $4m; there will be two semifinalists who will take home $2.5m each; four quarterfinalists will pocket $1.3m each; eight teams that lost out in the round of 16 will earn $800k each; two teams ranked 3rd in their group but fail to qualify for round of 16 will receive $700k each while six teams ranked 4th in each of the six groups will each take $500k. That means the Super Eagles is assured $1.3m for being in the quarters at all but will earn more if they advance.
Eniola Olatunji reporting for Patmos Media Line.
#CAF #IvoryCoast2024 #NFF.
