Nigeria will reach the Round of 16 of the 32nd
Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt if the Super Eagles put the Syli Nationale of
Guinea to the sword in their second match of the tournament on Wednesday. The match
starts at 4.30pm Egypt time, which is 3.30pm in Nigeria.
Guinea’s unexpected 2-2 draw against debutants
Madagascar on Day 1, for which both teams shared a point each, means any team
that harnesses six points in Group B would most certainly progress to the
knockout rounds.
The availability of France –based forward Samuel
Kalu, who can also play as wing back, has provided further options for Coach
Gernot Rohr for Wednesday’s clash between the fierce West African rivals at the
Alexandria Stadium.
Kalu elicited jubilation to the Nigeria camp on
Monday evening after further tests in Cairo cleared him to play at the AFCON
2019, following a scare after he fell during training session and was
stabilised before being taken to hospital on Friday. The incident ruled him out
of Saturday’s clash with Burundi.
Kalu can fit into the right side of the attack,
where he dazzled against Seychelles on Mahe Island in a qualifying match in
September 2018 and against Libya home and away the following month, and can
equally hold firm as wing back, as he did against South Africa in the
penultimate qualifier in November 2018.
While AFCON 2019 is Nigeria’s 18th
appearance (Wednesday’s encounter will be their 88th match), Guinea
is showing up here for the 13th time. Nigeria have won the title
three times, finished in second place five times and picked up the bronze
medals seven times. Guinea has only a runners-up place to show for their
endeavour, back in 1976 when the tournament was held based on a league format.
Honours are even in 14 previous matches between both
countries, with Nigeria winning four times, Guinea winning four times and six
matches drawn. Some of the games have been nail –biting affairs, including a
1982 World Cup qualifying match in Lagos in April 1981 in which Henry Nwosu’s
88th minute winner separated both teams over two legs, and the 2012
AFCON qualifier that ended 2-2 in Abuja in October 2011 with Ibrahim Diallo’s
last minute equalizer stopping Nigeria from reaching the finals.
The Syli Nationale are bound to throw everything
into Wednesday’s game, as defeat would gravely abbreviate their chances of
progressing to the knockout rounds. And they have a coach who has a reason to
want to put a knife through Nigeria’s ambition.
Paul Put was head coach of Burkina Faso’s Etalons
who lost the final of the 2013 AFCON tournament to the Super Eagles at
Soccercity in Johannesburg, three weeks after both teams ended their opening
match of the finals 1-1 in Nelspruit.
It is probable that Coach Rohr will stick with South
Africa –based Daniel Akpeyi in goal, with Kenneth Omeruo and Willian Ekong at
the centre of defence and Ola Aina at left back. With Abdullahi Shehu injured,
and Samuel Kalu now fit, the latter’s steel and attacking instincts could nip
the right back shirt for him ahead of Chidozie Awaziem, while Wilfred Ndidi,
Alex Iwobi and Oghenekaro Etebo may pull strings in midfield, if skipper Mikel Obi
starts from the bench.
Samuel Chukwueze, Odion Ighalo and Ahmed Musa may
start at the fore, against a very strong Guinea team and on a day Nigeria need
the goals and points to ease into the knockout rounds with a match to spare.
Steadily, the Super Eagles has become a team
reaching milestones with a match to spare, from qualifying for the 2018 FIFA
World Cup to earning the ticket to AFCON 2019.
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