AFCON2023: A DAY OF RECKONING FOR NIGERIA’s SUPER EAGLES

AFCON2023 started yesterday 23rd January 2023 at the Alassane Quattara Stadium with so much pomp and pageantry. There was an astounding display of the African spirit and culture. Nigerian musician Yemi Alade brought her exhilarating artistry of song and dance to the stage and dazzled the crowd. The first match between hosts Cote D’Ivoire and Guinea Bissau lived up to its billing. Cote D’Ivoire won and has set the right frame towards qualification for the next round.

WHO WINS NIGERIA vs EQUATORIAL GUINEA

This afternoon, Nigeria would lock horns with Equatorial Guinea. It stands to be an exciting match though on paper, Nigeria is expected to win the match. Since 2008, both teams have met three times, with Nigeria, winning always. The Super Eagles have won the AFCON thrice, namely in 1980, 1994, and 2013. They are currently the highest placed on the AFCON medals table, considering the cumulative silver and bronze medals they have won in the competition. Unlike Equatorial Guinea, the Super Eagles are blessed with several established players, plying their trade in the big leagues of Europe. They include the current African footballer of the year, Victor Osimhen (Napoli FC, Italy), Samuel Chukwueze (AC Milan FC, Italy), Ademola Lukeman (Atalanta FC, Italy), Ola Aina (Nottingham Forest FC, England), Calvin Bassey and Alex Iwobi (Fulham FC, England amongst several others. They have also lost several other players such as Victor Boniface, Bayer Leverkusen FC, Germany, Sadiq Umar, Real Sociedad FC, Spain et al.

THE EXPECTATIONS FROM BOTH SIDES

As always, there’s a huge expectation from the Super Eagles to perform very well and that immense pressure would remain the biggest battle for the Ahmed Musa-led Super Eagles, to overcome. Despite qualification for the AFCON2023, Coach Jose Peseiro has not been able to build a formidable team comparable to the quality of players available to the team. Their cumulative win-to-loss ratio since his assumption, has been abysmal, whilst there has been an unending clamor for him to improve the entire defence, especially the goalkeeping department.

Compared to the Super Eagles, Equatorial Guinea remains a team searching for recognition both in African and World football. They have participated in the AFCON three times, namely in 2012, 2015 and 2021. They got to the semi-final in 2015, and this remains their highest achievement. Despite having players in the European leagues, they still remain underachievers and have not achieved anything worth comparing with Nigeria’s long list of football successes. As the first match for both teams, the expectation is that both teams would do their utmost to ensure that they get a good result to enhance their quest for qualification to the next round. Despite bookmakers’ expectations for the Super Eagles’ victory, it does not deny Equatorial Guinea’s capacity to cause an upset in today’s match and until the final whistle is blown they’d remain a threat. At the AFCON2021, in Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea surprised then defending champions, Algeria, 1-0 and this victory got them to the quarter final phase. They would want to achieve same heroics and the Super Eagles must beware!