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<\/a><\/p>\nThe President spoke directly to the\u00a0Super Eagles ahead<\/i><\/b>\u00a0of their match against Burundi yesterday.<\/p>\n
The NFF President Amaju Pinnick made sure that happened.\u00a0 It was a masterstroke. It took place in the team\u2019s hotel shortly before the players set out for the stadium in Alexandria.\u00a0 President Buhari gave a \u2018team talk\u2019 that was magical.\u00a0\u00a0It lifted the team\u2019s spirit tremendously and doused any unwanted \u2018fire\u2019 that could have been smouldering beneath the seeming quiet of the camp.\u00a0 The President assured the players that all their financial entitlements promised them, would be paid. That\u2019s the only \u2018language\u2019 players speak and understand clearly.\u00a0\u00a0With the nature of the President that all Nigerians know, when he makes a promise, you can go to sleep that his word will become his bond.\u00a0 Probably, that may explain the calmness of the team even when things did not appear to be going so well during the first half of the match.\u00a0\u00a0They needed a win to break the jinx of not winning their opening matches in more recent AFCON championships.\u00a0 They should have panicked, yet, the team remained as cool as cucumber.\u00a0 The Eagles were not playing brilliantly but they had the match under their control.\u00a0 It was a matter of time before they would have a breakthrough.\u00a0 It came in the last 20 minutes. Some substitutions were made.\u00a0 More tested attackers were introduced.\u00a0 The creativity and pace of the match increased with Eagles probing calmly and confidently.\u00a0 When the only goal of the match came, it was a beauty, stylishly created and perfectly executed with clinical finesse.\u00a0 Then the game was over.<\/p>\n