Izuchukwu Okosi
Nigeria’s Super Eagles arrived Garoua, Cameroon ahead of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON which starts on Sunday in the Central African country.
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The team arrived Garoua around 11pm on Wednesday night and headed straight to their hotel abode as they look set to win their 4th Africa Cup of Nations crown.
A total of 25 players from the invited 28 arrived Cameroon with two defenders, Jamilu Collins and Tyrone Ebuehi as well as striker, Odion Jude Ighalo yet to link up with the team.
The players expressed optimism that they would do the country proud in the tournament.
Nigeria have won the continental diadem on three different occasions in 1980, 1994 and 2013 and look primed to repeat the feat on Cameroon.
The Super Eagles will begin their AFCON campaign on Tuesday next week against Pharaohs of Egypt in Group D.
“Everyone is talking about Mohamed Salah but if you look at our team, we have lots of players they will be worried about,” captain Ahmed Musa told sports writers in Abuja.
“So, we don’t have to think about Salah, they have to think about our own players.
“They talk about Salah but we have players like Samuel Chukwueze and others on the wings who are very dangerous – so that’s football.
“In each tournament, you will always see new players. I don’t think there is any new player going to AFCON that has not been with us since day one.
“We are not going to Cameroon to see the beauty of the country but to win. I remember during the qualifiers when we sealed qualification, we said we aren’t just going to the AFCON we’re going to come back with the trophy,” he promised.
Similarly, Eagles forward, Taiwo Awoniyi, also assured Nigerian fans of his determination to help the team win the AFCON trophy in Cameroon.
His words: “We are all exited and determined with all our focus on the target to conquer Africa once again.”
“We are ready for AFCON and we will give our all to make the fans happy back home and abroad,” he promised.
Eagles goalkeeper, Daniel Akpeyi, while declaring readiness to fight and wrestle the no 1 shirt for keep at the AFCON Cameroon tourney, claimed that Eagles would be on mission.
Describing the competition in the goalkeeping department as a healthy development, Akpeyi, who has been impressive for South African side Kaizer Chiefs, said: “It’s a good development (clean slate for every player). Maduka has been doing so well, Uzoho and Noble have been good as well. We are all working hard for the spot but most importantly, whichever one the coach decides to play at the end of the day, every other person will have to support him.
“Everyone is in top form at the moment and I am going to support them if I don’t get my chance. Our mission is to put smiles on the faces of football-loving Nigerians,” he said.
The Eagles will continue their training ahead of their first game in Garoua today (Thursday).
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
