African champions Nigeria, in upbeat mood, arrived in Salvador,
north-eastern Brazil Tuesday afternoon ahead of their much-hyped clash
with South American champions Uruguay on Thursday.
The Eagles are majestically perched at the top of Group B of the 2013
FIFA Confederations Cup following a 6-1 trouncing
of Tahiti in Belo
Horizonte on Monday evening.
Spain’s Furia Roja (Red Fury) who edged Uruguay 2-1 in the first match
of the pool on Sunday night, are second behind the African champions
on goals difference.
While the Spaniards will look to pile up the goals against Tahiti on
Thursday, the Eagles have confidence they can overpower Oscar
Tabarez’La Celeste and earn a semi final ticket ahead of their final
group phase tango with world champions Spain in Fortaleza on Sunday.
NFF President, Alhaji Aminu Maigari, understandably elated by the
team’s goal-rious performance against the Oceanians on Monday, has
charged the boys to increase the tempo against the tactically-aware
Uruguayans.
“The Eagles have started well, and they are perching on top of the
table as expected. We believe they have the strength and the savvy to
go all the way and do our country and Africa proud.
“I want them to forget about the win over Tahiti and appreciate that
Uruguay is a different ball game. They should work very hard and come
out on top on Thursday,” Maigari said.
Salvador, the capital of Bahia State, is home to about 2.7 million
people and is Brazil’s third most populous city. It was Brazil’s first
capital city until 1763. It is also regarded as the black capital of
Latin America, as more than 80 per cent of its inhabitants are of
African descent.
In other words, the African champions will not lack support inside the
renovated Arena Fonte Nova when they clash with the Uruguayans
starting from 7pm Brazil time (11pm Nigeria time) on Thursday.
Coach Stephen Keshi has also been telling his boys to believe in their
ability as the boys cruised into the Hotel De Ville Tuesday afternoon.
“Nobody gave us the chance to triumph at the Africa Cup of Nations in
South Africa. We love the status of underdogs that we have here and it
will help us to achieve our objective of making Nigeria and Africa
proud.”
Keshi was in the Nigeria squad that spent close to three months
training and playing friendly matches in Brazil before going ahead to
win the Africa Cup of Nations on home soil in 1980. He missed the
final cut because Brazilian Coach Otto Gloria, who took Portugal to
third place at the 1966 FIFA World Cup in England, felt he was too
young.
However, Keshi has been eager to give the younger generation in his
team good opportunities to showcase their wares, with the likes of
Kenneth Omeruo, Ogenyi Onazi, Ahmed Musa, Nnamdi Oduamadi and Brown
Ideye appearing to enjoy every moment of it.
After Thursday’s showdown with La Celeste, the Super Eagles’ train
will move to Fortaleza for the much-anticipated clash with world and
European champions Spain inside the Estadio Castelao on Sunday.
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