Super Eagles Team B will on Tuesday face Sudan in a make or mar encounter at the ongoing 8th African Nations Championships,CHAN in Zanzibar.
The Eagles put themselves under pressure following their 0-1 loss in the opening group game against defending champions Senegal. The team is therefore condemned to win or face an imminent return home after the preliminary rounds.
Nigeria’s ability to bounce back from the ashes of defeat demonstrated by the Super Falcons at the just ended WAFCON in Morocco, will be put to test once again against Sudan’s Falcons of Jediane in a must-win group D encounter in Zanzibar ..
Title-holders Senegal scored with their only shot on goal with only a quarter-hour left in the two teams’ clash on Tuesday last week, rendering this Tuesday’s clash with the Sudanese a win-or-wind-up for the Super Eagles B. Venue is the same 15,000 -capacity Amaan Stadium on the island of Zanzibar where the 2018 runners-up fell to their West African rivals.
Head Coach Eric Chelle admitted after Tuesday’s setback that his charges must go into clear-eyed overdrive to cut the feathers of the Falcons and go ahead to drive Congo’s Devils into the ditch a week later, to stand any realistic chance of making it to the knockout rounds in the rather irregular 19-nation finals.
“I just want to win this game against Sudan; this is my game project. We are under pressure but we are ambitious and must win tomorrow. This game is the most important for us because a win can bring something good for the team,” Chelle said at Monday’s pre-match press conference.
Team captain Nduka Harrison Junior said: “We want to take each game as it comes, and next for us is Sudan. The previous game was a setback and not a disaster. We have a point to prove and we are ready to correct our mistakes.”
The Falcons, who also had their spirit dampened by a late equalizer that ensured they took home only one point instead of three in their clash with Congo just before the Nigeria and Senegal tango, are however poised for a fight on the Indian Ocean Island.
Kwesi Appiah, head coach of Sudan said “Nigeria is one of the biggest nations in African football and we respect them, but we won’t fear them. I don’t believe in any rivalry; this is a game and the best team will win. I have watched only one game of the Nigerian team and can’t assess them based on one game. I don’t see any player as a threat, but the entire team” .
The stage is set for a blockbuster of a showdown at the Amaan Stadium in Zanzibar on Tuesday evening, starting from 6pm.
