18th November, 2013
The Super Eagles 2-0 victory over the Antelopes of Ethiopia at the U.J. Esuene Stadium in Calabar, Cross River State, eastern Nigeria, on Saturday that ensured that Nigeria became the first African team to qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup to be hosted by Brazil. The feat, to a large extent, is a great feat in the continent’s football competition.
Nigeria had defeated Ethiopia 2-1 in Ethiopia last month to make it 4-1 on aggregate and earned them a fifth mundial ticket in 19 years.
Nigeria had participated in the1994, 1998, 2002 & 2010 world cup tournaments.
The world cup ticket secured by a coaching crew led by former national team captain, Stephen Keshi, just few months after the team became African champions, has proved that with adequate preparation and determination on the part of the players that Nigeria have the wherewithal to rule African football.
We commend the team’s performance in all the preceding qualifying matches and the consistent commitment and dedication of the players to building on their victory at this year’s African Nations Cup by qualifying for the World Cup Finals and bringing further glory to our fatherland.
Nigeria’s best performance at the soccer showpiece event was a second round finish at the 1994 edition in the United States of America and in France 1998.
Only Cameroun, Senegal and Ghana have made it to the last eight in the history of the World Cup.
As the team and Nigerians bask in the glory of qualifying for another world cup, there are still a lot of task ahead of the team. In their quest to record even greater glory for the country in Brazil, the Eagles would need the full support of the Federal Government, the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, and all Nigerians.
The NFF also need to send coaches of the team for refresher courses that would sharpen their technical and tactical abilities.
The handlers of the team also need to extend invitation to players that would add value to the team that secured the world cup ticket. This would bring competition into the team and avoid automatic shirt for any player.
Grade A friendly matches need to be arranged to boost the confidence of the team.
With more hard work, dedication, resilience and further honing of their skills and tactics, it is quite clear that the Eagles can fulfill the national dream of being the first African nation to make it to the semi final stage of the world cup in Brazil.