By Daily Sports on January 10, 2022

On a sad note, if you are a Nigerian of repute and you watched the shame that was President Mahammadu Buhari’s interview with Channels TV, you must have come to terms that this man is truly out to destroy Nigeria without mincing words.

I was drafted to listen to him against my will because of his colourlessness in all ramifications. I’m never his fan and so have not hidden such due largely to his emptiness in all facets. You can see how he has messed up the strong economy, for instance, which he inherited from Jonathan’s PDP.

Nothing good comes from him because of his unquenching appetite for divisive instincts. His jokes, if any, are always dry and so on. He yet again succeeded in further adding salt to injuries he and his deceitful APC inflicted on Nigeria and her people since 2015.

I digress.  Honestly, this is the season of joy for football fans, commentators, bookmakers and sundry. Therefore nothing, and absolutely nothing, short of that as the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, the biggest football showpiece in the continent, is being staged in Central African country of Cameroun and Nigeria, as a key stakeholder, is already in her centre in Garoua, an outskirts, 950 kilometres from the capital, Yaoundé.

It would be recalled that Nigeria is in group G alongside Egypt, Sudan and Guinea Bissau. Nigeria will set the tone or trade tackles against Egypt on January 11; and against Sudan on the 15th and finally for the group stage, with Guinea Bissau on the 19th. Nigeria arrived the tournament venue on Wednesday, January 5, via Air Peace.

Despite reports of withdrawals from the Camps by first list players, their replacements are no push over too. For instance, Dutch team Feyenord FC’s striker, Cyril Dessers is set to replace Odion Ighalo, following Saudi’s Shababa’s refusal to release him.

Needless to say that Super Eagles knew what is at stake and must go all out  and confront Egypt with the mindset of winning the seven-time winners of the tournament in the very first group’s game.  What is already on the air now or trending is the kick-off of Africa’s most prestigious biannual football summit, the Africa Cup of Nations holding in Cameroun.

As usual this tournament is carrying airs all over the World and focus is on the continent and her players.

This is a championship that best players of African origin parade themselves and exhibit their God-given talents on the round leather game to the fullest.

The build-up is always larger than life and fans all over the World, especially in Africa, have started in earnest, including pundits, having a field day.

Truth is that the nitty-gritty of the tournament that has produced star footballers in the continent. Further it has produced first rate players which world-class club sides have been falling over themselves to have them lace their boots for their respective top clubs in their countries.

Africa Cup of Nations football championship has drawn greater attention.

Currently, the heat is steadily building and honestly such is the name of the game. All the actors, I mean countries that qualified to compete for honours, are ready at the venue where they will slug it out with their opponents as the game has kicked off.

Another area of concern is the security situation in Cameroun where the West and Southern parts of that Central African country are seriously under the threat of rebels. One hopes that the situation would be totally brought to normal in every good sense of the word so that there will be no avoidable causality at the end of the day.

All things being equal, we expect hitch-free football meet where Africa’s best players would display their talents plying their trade to the overall admiration of fans that throng the stadium to cheer their idols to victory via clapping, singing, dancing, drumming, among others, and other entertainment channels that have brought glamour, thrills, frills and honour to the game that has grown so powerfully with overflowing influence on the World and governments.  

Nigeria, a three-time winners of this tournament is already at her venue where her Group G would do ground football battles with her opponents, the chief being the multiple winners of this competition, Egypt.

It will be Nigeria’s first game in the Group. The game against the Pharaohs of Egypt has been the talk of the town since the draws were held. The Super Eagles of Nigeria, no doubt, have their hands full and there will be no dull moments during that game of wits and brawns.

Both countries are known football enemies of long time standing and games involving them have always been unpredictable. However Egypt has upper hand over Nigeria bur whether that scenario will change would be known after the January 11 encounter. Much water has gone under the bridge of both sides and so fans all over are expectant of watching a Grade A football displays, ruler-measured passes and sundry that would no doubt situate the football war where it really belongs.

It is one of the games most countries and clubs around the World would like to behold, sitting glued in front of their television sets, watching these big boys from two of the most sought after countries in Africa slugging it out for supremacy, prestige, gamely and choice.

As usual, football meets between Nigeria and Egypt have been tense and this won’t be an exception, no matter the quality of players each country parades. One hopes that the Super Eagles of Nigeria have prepared themselves to the teeth as it goes for broke against the often highly tactical and technical Pharaohs of Egypt.

A sound and quick thinking bench would at the end of the day become the engine room where the pendulum would swing from and to as the players would bring to bear all they know about playing and winning a game of this nature. It is against those inflammable backgrounds therefore that the timely response of each technical bench would matter most. The reaction of the technical crew may turn out to become the last line or an antidote that may turn out a game changer.

Head or tail, it will be or serve as litmus test for both countries. In this game, any country that mastered thoroughly their team’s conspiracy theories on the game at hand may carry the crucial day. No doubt, it would be a tough duel. There won’t be breathing space by both countries as there will be closing marking playing option that would be deployed by the technical bench of both countries.

Let us come home a little to briefly re-examine the strength of our Eagles currently at the venue of the championship. Yes, the hen is home to roost. The dice is cast therefore there is no hiding place.

Most of us followed closely the trend for the invitation and withdrawals of players from the tournament; chief being that replacement of those that could not make it due to one “cogent” reason or the other. Those that came handy were quality boys in their own right and so reports say the camp has been bubbling with confidence and high spirit too.

It was also gathered that Austin Eguavoen, the head of the interim coaching crew, is not relenting in his spirited bid to put the team in the right frame of mind to focus on the task ahead in order to do well.

We will be there to bring reports so stay with your favourite www.dailysportsng.com.  We wish the Eagles all the best as they keep eyes on the ball. The players in Egueavoen’s lineup are quality and mixture of young and the experienced. Keep shooting hard till next week as the struggle continues!!

Source Daily Sports

Posted January 10, 2022

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