By Daily Sports on June 5, 2017

In the history of major football competitions between the Super Eagles of Nigeria and Bafana Bafana of South Africa, the odds have always favoured Nigeria. Incidentally, they will on Saturday, June 10, in the lush green pitch inside the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, aka the Nest of Champions, resume a battle of old foes in the race for their group ticket for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier, which finals will be hosted by Cameroun.

Interestingly, the same conditions that have seen the Eagles show superiority over the South Africans still persists. For instance, as the qualifier game beacons, the Nigerian side has made glaring statements by improving in their latest FIFA ranking placing 4th in Africa. It means that the Super Eagles climbed two places in the latest ranking.

The team is now ranked 38th in the world as against the 40th position in the last ranking. This, no doubt, attests to the growth of the team since the Franco- German, Gernot Rohr took over. It is instructive to posit that he has not lost any game since he took charge which has seen Nigeria climb almost 19 places since he began his show of supremacy.

The three-time African Champions are on 730 points, four more than the previous month and can climb higher with a win against South Africa.

It would be recalled that the Rohr boys trashed the Hawks of Togo 3-0 in an international friendly match played in France which is also a plus in the next ranking exercise. These are upbeat signs enroute the  Uyo encounter involving  two known gladiators’ of African football shortly after the collapse of apartheid policy in Pretoria.

Without mincing words, the Eagles would be going into this game with a mind set to begin well in the qualifying series, as it has in the ongoing 2018 World Cup qualifier. Fact is that it won’t be a tea party despite the past results concerning the sides. The boys from Pretoria are already talking tough with their newly employed technical hand. In short, this is his first major assignment and he has started the psychological war aimed at subjecting his opponents to pressure.

Though, football is not played via such system, however, it catches one way or the other. Eagles are made up of big boys who are not keen on falling for antics of any kind. The Bafana Bafana team could pose no much threat to their Nigerian counterparts on the field of play, but football being no mathematics can equally prove tricky as any slip, under rating or over rating by any opponent could prove costly at the end of the day. Sure, Eagles will not take anything for granted due to the high stakes and premium attached to the match. Eagles in their current form are not in any mood to toy with any game be it friendly or not.

The new spirit and call to national duty have overtaken the entire team that they hear, eat, drink and sleep nothing but work towards qualifications of their darling team in 2018 and 2019 major football meets in Russia and Cameroun respectively. They have not hidden such intention and have further demonstrated it on the pitch. The team and its handlers have assured the NFF leadership and Nigerians that they think nothing than concentrate on the tenets that would ensure AFCON and World Cup tickets are in Nigeria’s kitty, while their monies would play secondary role in this era.

It is against that background therefore that South Africa is in trouble against a side that began playing like a gang. A side which has many younger lads full of energy and hunger for conquests. Eagles that are a mixture of experienced and thirsty lot. Its maxim centres on never say die. It is a  squad that has a technical adviser that has no definite pattern to punish opponents in matches played so far.

It may be safe to say, with their current shape, the finest hours for the Eagles is looming. Inasmuch as we must not lose sight that the team has not arrived, it is also difficult to write of the Eagles as just one of the teams jostling for tickets. The Franco-German, gaffer has instilled discipline, team spirit and still building as the evolution of the side continues. As it stands, any opponent that takes Eagles for granted would be brutally punished for such laxity.

It won’t be a one sided affair in Uyo, despite the no nonsense vein of the Nigerian side. Nigeria has been absent from Africa’s biannual premier football summit and so will be hell bent on ensuring qualification from start to the finishing line. Eagles must be vigilant against their desperate visitors. The match will bring out the best in the continents football but there must be a winner. Already, Nigeria has released the list of her 23 wise men for the battle front in Uyo.  www.dailysportng.com was not left out in the reportage of the Eagles list. The major headache for the side now is in the goalkeeping area that seems suspect. However, with Dele Alamposu, let’s see how his general composure would be against South Africa as my mind tells me he would be in goal. The list was the one, in which Rohr displayed some of his hidden surprises with shocking inclusions and exclusions. Head or tail, it is a line of 23 to watch. Have swell time!

“Super Eagles coach, Gernot Rohr has invited 23 players for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against South African on June 10 at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo.

“Zamalek midfielder Moruf Yousuf is the surprise inclusion in the team with Ogenyi Onazi, and Victor Osimhen also included.

“There is no place for Odion Ighalo and Brown Ideye who are both based in China as captain Mikel Obi is out due to injury.

“Victor Moses is missing from the team but Olanrewaju Kayode, Moses Simon and John Ogu have been considered despite missing the Paris camp.

“Three goalkeepers, Daniel Akpeyi, Dele Alamposu and Ikechukwu Ezenwa headline the goalkeepers.

“The Super Eagles will take on the Hawks of Togo in an international friendly in Paris on June 1 before making the trip down to Nigeria for the final leg of preparation for the clash against the Bafana Bafana.

“The team will on Thursday June 1, play the Hawks of Togo in an international friendly in Paris before making the trip down to Nigeria for the final leg of preparation for the game against South Africa.

“The stage is building up as preparations for the game of supremacy is nearing feverish peak. There won’t be dull moment as both technical advisers would endeavour to keep clean slate. It looks like fight to finish setting. Whatever it will be, let go over to WhatsAPP, Facebook, Twitter, in serve for discussion to continue.”

Keep shooting hard, till next week!!

Source Daily Sports

Posted June 5, 2017

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