Former Super Eagles Captain and midfield maestro Jay-Jay Okocha says the Super Eagles and Elephants clash will be full of fireworks adding however that only team that only the team that more desirous of victory will survive.
The Eagles and Elephants clash is one of the star matches of the 34th edition of the Nations. Expectedly matches between both countries like that between Ghana and Nigeria has always gone to the wire. Okocha in an interview with cafonline bared his mind on the match but stopped short of saying which team will win the much talked about battle billed for Thursday January 18.
Asked whether he expects a difficult match for the Super Eagles, the former PSG and Bolton wanderers talisman said
Absolutely! Every match is difficult but when you play the host country, it is even more difficult. But, of course the beauty of football is that if you want to be champions, you have to win against the best. And as we know, in football, every match is difficult. If you are well prepared, you have a chance of winning your match. But, we Nigerians, we know that it will be a difficult match but also, we believe that we have enough potential to be able to win this match.
On what he thinks will be the key to winning this all important match he added
I think what the key will be is experience, desire and state of mind. For me, they are professionals, and they know the importance of this match, I think their mindset will be the key. The Eagles came from behind to pull a draw against Equatorial Guinea but Okocha saw some positives in the match despite the draw.
I think we didn’t really play bad like many people say. There were a lot of positive things that were seen in the match. The only problem is that we didn’t take our opportunities. We created a lot of chances, which is a positive aspect for me. That’s the sign of a good team. It looks like two points lost because we were favorites, but we know how difficult it is to win a match. This is also a good thing because they now know that they are not perfect and that they need to improve certain things.
Nigeria expects a lot from its striker and star, Victor Osimhen. As a legend of the Nigerian selection who carried this team for a good period, what would it take for him to meet the expectations placed on him?
We know that Victor Osimhen is a world-class goalscorer, a very great player. He needs the services of his team and I believe he got them in this first match. It’s not all the time that we see him miss clear opportunities. I think he is eager to correct his mistakes and with him, we have hope and we believe in him because we know he is capable of shining in any competition.
Nigeria’s last meeting with Cote d’Ivoire was a loss back in 2015. Does this play a factor?
It’s not just Cote d’Ivoire. Every match today is difficult. The gap has narrowed, and I think we don’t have to rely much on history. What interests us is the current Côte d’Ivoire that we will play on Thursday. If you look at our two teams, you will see that the difference is not big. It will be a good match.
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You are a legend of African football and the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations. We still remember your fabulous goal in the final of the 2000 edition against Cameroon at home and you won the competition in 1994. What does the tournament represent for an African footballer?
It’s really very important for an African footballer because nothing is more beautiful than knowing that you are an African champion, that you are the best team in Africa. So, for us, it is priceless, as Africans, to win or participate in the AFCON.
What do you think of the title holders Senegal, or Morocco, semi-finalist of the last World Cup?
Without a doubt, we have a lot of teams that we can say have what it takes to win. As you said, Senegal – I was at their game yesterday, they gave a good performance. Morocco, of course, we know they were impressive at the World Cup and we expect them to do well. But at the same time, when you look at teams like Cape Verde, Equatorial Guinea, Angola, you can’t neglect them, they showed how difficult the AFCON has become. You can no longer consider a team as underdogs. Of course, there is also the organizing country, Cote d’Ivoire.
With a mass of supporters behind them, they will be a difficult team to play against in this tournament. So, it would be very early to name the favorite.