.ISIA must have been delighted at the ease with which they threw the Super Eagles out of AFCON 2021.
The Eagles were rated to proceed further in the contest than most of the remaining 16 teams. Awarded the best team of the group stages, with all the players reeving their performance at octane levels, pundits that gushed about the best Super Eagles in years saw a great finishing for the Eagles.
Nigeria was out of the competition in a fashion that rekindled the debates about a foreign coach. The pendulum is swing towards foreigner instead of the former position that Nigeria needed a good coach wherever he is found. Some who wanted Austine Eguavoen started recanting after the loss to Tunisia.
Would a foreign coach have secured victory for the Super eagles? What did Eguavoen not do? What did they do that shut the Super Eagles out of AFCON 2021? What did Tunisia do?
Nothing specular about the game. The most important thing was securing a place in the quarter-finals. It was what each team wanted.
The Tunisians were and more focused on the result.
Super Eagles got the treatment they meted out to Egypt in the opener of the group matches. How did it not occur to the coach that opponents could exploit the consistence of the Super Eagles pattern to harm the team? There was nothing more to it.
On the other hand, the Carthage Eagles, as the Tunisians are known, replayed the tactics they used in getting Nigeria out of the 1986 World Cup qualifiers. In the 20 July 1985 encounter at the Stade Olympique d’El Menzah in Tunis, Tunisia fought the Eagles from their strongest point – the defender Yisa Sofoluwe.
Jecidi Bessem contributed the brace that won the game, but the relentless attack of the Tunisians concentrated on wearing out Sofoluwe. Subsequent rallies could be from any of the flanks. Nigeria had a thorough bashing that the 2-0 scoreline under-stated.
Tunisia made AFCON 2021 second round as one of the best losers with three points in Group F that Mali and The Gambia dominated. They were not considered strong opponents for Super Eagles, but they won.
Super Eagles’ next big challenge is getting a World Cup ticket. Their opposition is the Black Stars of Ghana whose opponents at AFCON 2021 left with deep injuries, mostly mental. The question being ask is whether the Super Eagles would qualify for the World Cup in Qatar at the expense of Ghana.
March 24 and 29, with the first leg taking place in Ghana, and the return leg in Nigeria, have been fixed for the matches that would doubtlessly renew the long-drawn rivalries between the duo. The winner, with four other African teams, will qualify for the World Cup finals. They will be one of the five sides who will represent Africa at the 2022 Qatar World Cup in December.
The three-time African champions will also be looking to equal an African record of four consecutive World Cup appearances in what would be their seventh appearance at the event.
The Super Eagles have missed only one FIFA World Cup since their at the 1994 tournament in the United States. They qualified for the third round play-offs by topping the second round group that had Cape Verde, Liberia, and Central African Republic.
Ghana got to the third round ahead of South Africa, Ethiopia, and Zimbabwe in Group G. The final group game against South Africa remains a subject of heated debates over who won. FIFA had to intervene in favour of Ghana.
The Black Stars missed out of the 2018 World Cup in Russia. They would want to be in Qatar for a fourth appearance at football’s biggest tournament. Their woeful AFCON outing in Cameroun, the worst since 2006, has delayed Ghana’s hope of winning a fifth title. The last time Ghana won the title was 40 years ago in Libya.
Before the Super Eagles would be wounded Blacks Stars that want to make up for AFCON 2021. There are also high financial gains from being a part of the party in Qatar. By qualifying, each country gets $2 million from FIFA for its preparations for the big event. Participation in the group matches guarantees another $10 million.
A lot is at stake that would set the tune for the two-leg game with Ghana in March.
*AFCON 2021 Q/Finals Finals*
*Saturday January 29*
*Cameroun v The Gambia*
5pm Japoma Stadium, Douala
The Gambia’s fairy tale AFCON runs will be put to full test as they face the hosts. The pressure is on the Indomitable Lions of Cameroun who have everything to prove before the home crowd. Their race for a fifth title has run smoothly so far. Baring foul officiating, The Gambia could put Cameroun on edge.
*Burkina Faso vs Tunisia*
8pm Roumde Adjia Stadium, Garoua
Foxy tie of two Eagles – the Carthage Eagles of Tunisia, and Eagles of Mali – presents a football feast. The impatience of the Malians meets the patience of the Tunisians who would look for a chance to slip in a goal and lock up the game. It will be tough.
*Sunday January 30*
*Egypt vs Morocco*
5pm Olembe Stadium, Yaounde
The battle of the Atlas Lion of Morocco with Pharaohs of Egypt would be the best of boring North African football in display. Morocco lead in a count of their 13 head to head AFCON encounters with five wins, three draws, and six losses. What matters is Sunday’s result. After stumbling in their first match with Super Eagles, the Pharaohs have gradually picked up their game. Mo Salah has not won an AFCON title. Will this be it?
*Senegal vs Equitorial Guinea*
8pm Japoma Stadium, Douala
Equitorial Guinea are easily the biggest surprise of AFCON 2021. Their presence at this stage was never expected. They are strange to the party and that is the challenge they are to Sadio Mané’s Teranga Lions. Senegal, in 2002, became the second African country to make the quarter-finals of the FIFA World Cup, 12 years after Cameroun. Their AFCON vault remains barren. Another hot contest awaits AFCON spectators.
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