The Super Eagles are prayer warriors. One underlining characteristic of all national teams of Nigeria is that they all pray fervently. I know this because I have been personally involved as a player, a Manager and an administrator through several decades, from the Green Eagles to the Super Eagles. The teams would always pray for divine protection, favour and protection. They also never fail to be grateful even the few times when things do not go their way. The team takes the practice very seriously whilst in camp before training sessions, before matches, after matches, and every night during championships. The Christians pray. Muslims pray. They pray together. It is always one happy union of Nigerians with a common cause and without differences in tribe, language, religion, ethnicity or status. On match days, the journey from camp to the match ground is spiritually lifted in raised voices of many popular gospels and inspirational songs that everyone participates in. Prayers and praise songs have always been the fuel that lifts the spirit of the team.
In Egypt, yesterday the team trained without Shehu Abdullahi and Jamilu Collins who are still recuperating and may not be fully fit yet. Beyond that, today’s match is being taken very seriously. The competitiveness in the training ground showed that every player is fighting to be a part of today’s lineup. It is possible that a few fringe players may be given the opportunity to play and show what they can do because Gernot Rohr needs to assemble his final best TEAM to head into the second round. Testing of players will end this evening. The more difficult matches lie just ahead after today. That’s why today’s match is very important. Madagascar that was given NO chance at the start of the AFCON has gone for two matches here without losing any match. They will come this evening unafraid and playing to get a draw, at least. So, a strategy will come into play today. Will they throw everything forward? That could be suicidal should that expose their rear and let through the Nigerian attackers with so much unleashed firepower.
On paper, this is a match between David and Goliath. The head-to-head records speak. Madagascar have never scored a single goal against Nigeria in history. In their 4 meetings to date, the Eagles won 3 and drew 1. The Fly on the Wall in the Eagles tells me it saw Gernot and his technical crew members joining the prayer session during the last training session.
Pictures do not lie. The pictures above of the Eagles in prayer on the field yesterday, speaks.
Beara, as the Madagascar national team is known, may be in serious trouble today.
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So much history on Nigerian football through the years been uploaded for entertainment, information and enlightenment.
Segun Odegbami
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