Eagles Walk Tightrope

By Adebobola Alawode

Super Eagles of Nigeria’s chances of qualifying from the group stage of the ongoing South Africa 2013 African Cup of Nations seems bleak following their 1-1 draw against the Stallions of Burkina Faso Tuesday at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit, South Africa.

The Eagles were already coasting home to victory before substitute Alain Traore popped up to grab a stoppage time equaliser in the West African derby and the Nigerians will on Friday against reigning champions, Zambia try to make amends.

Going into the tie both teams would seek to battle for the top spot having given away their first group games to their opponents on a platter.

While the Eagles, who played with a man down after Efe Ambrose was send out relinquished their 1-0 lead to Burkina Faso with few seconds to the end of the clash the Zambians were embarrassed by 10-man Ethiopia throwing the game open.

Both teams are quite aware of the task ahead of them because they have tagged favorites to make it out of the group ahead of the other teams.

Super Eagles of Nigeria’s chances of qualifying from the group stage of the ongoing South Africa 2013 African Cup of Nations seems bleak following their 1-1 draw against the Stallions of Burkina Faso Tuesday at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit, South Africa.

The Eagles were already coasting home to victory before substitute Alain Traore popped up to grab a stoppage time equaliser in the West African derby and the Nigerians will on Friday against reigning champions, Zambia try to make amends.

Going into the tie both teams would seek to battle for the top spot having given away their first group games to their opponents on a platter.

While the Eagles, who played with a man down after Efe Ambrose was send out relinquished their 1-0 lead to Burkina Faso with few seconds to the end of the clash the Zambians were embarrassed by 10-man Ethiopia throwing the game open.

Both teams are quite aware of the task ahead of them because they have tagged favorites to make it out of the group ahead of the other teams.

Much of the pressure would be on Eagles’ coach, Stephen Keshi, who is yet to win a match as a coach at the Nations Cup after three appearances with The Hawks Togo and the Eagles of Mali, unlike his opponent, who is coach of the defending champions.

With the four teams having a point each from one game, it is the Nigerian side that would be under intense pressure following their lackluster coupled with the number of cautions they received as much as five hence they would be playing with serious caution.

Keshi, who led the Eagles to a Nations Cup triumph at the Tunisia 94 edition is however upbeat of turning the table to his team’s advantage saying “”Nothing will bring us down,””They did everything I asked of them.

“This is only the fourth game we are playing as a group in the 25 days or so that we have been together.”

“Our next game against Zambia is now very, very important.” Keshi disclosed that he expects Chelsea winger Victor Moses to be fit after he suffered a hamstring injury in training camp in Portugal.

“The last practice game in Portugal he had a hamstring. After resting only two days ago he showed signs of the injury so I decided to leave him out because we have a lot of games ahead and I need him for them, so playing him would have been a risk,” he said.

Nigeria captain Joseph Yobo also said Friday’s Group C match against Zambia is a must-win after they dropped two points against Burkina Faso.

Yobo said the team were disappointed to have let the three points slip away at the last second against Burkina Faso and they now must beat Zambia to stay on course for the knockout stage of the AFCON.

“We failed to convert our chances to score the second goal which would have seal victory for us. We are now in a must win situation in the second game against Zambia,” said Yobo.

“We know what to expect in the game because they are the defending champions and we respect them for that, they know what we can do as well and know what we will come for in the match. It will be a difficult game because both teams need the three points.

“We just have to win the game to move up. We did well against Burkina Faso, but conceding in the very last second was disappointing.  We have to show character in next game against Zambia.”

Striker Ikechukwu Uche said the Eagles will be prepared for the defending champions.

“The group is still open even though we would have loved to pick the three points in the game against Burkina Faso, but this is football. We would now go back and prepare for the next game against Zambia,” said the Villarreal striker, who failed to convert two big chances against Burkina Faso.

Midfielder Fegor Ogude told MTNFootball.com said the Eagles hope to make amends against Zambia after the disappointing draw with the Stallions.

“It was a difficult game which we should have won. We lost chances and we were punished for our loss of concentration in the last minute,” he offered.

“But we still have a chance to correct this in the second game against Zambia even though I know it would be a difficult game.”