By Akinwale Kasali
As the Super Eagles prepare for its Quarter Finals match against the Palacras Negras of Angola at the ongoing African Cup of Nations championship in Côte d’ Ivoire, National Team second Vice Captain, Kenneth Omeruo, is optimistic of victory.
Omeruo, the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations winner says the Super Eagles have little or no time for “confabulation” and will prefer to do the talking on the turf of the Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny against Angola in the quarter-final of the 34th edition in Abidjan on Friday.
The experienced defender came in to help stabilise the team in the closing stages of Saturday’s Round of 16 defeat of five-time champions Cameroon at the same venue, and is confident that the Palancas Negras (Sable Antelope) will bite the dust by the final blast of the referee’s whistle.
“We have absolutely no need to go into back-and-forth chatter with any team. The Super Eagles are in Cote d’Ivoire for serious business. We have not played Angola for a long time but I remember we played them in 2012 in a friendly and it ended in a draw. I have also read of how previous encounters between the two countries have been quite close.
“There is no possibility of Friday’s match ending in a draw; a winner must emerge. So much talk has been going on. Our collective resolve is to do the talking on the pitch. The Nigeria Spirit trumps all.”
A number of the Angolan playing personnel, including captain Fredy Kulembe, have been talking about stepping on the Eagles to achieve their aim of a place in the semi-finals of Africa’s most prestigious football competition. But Omeruo insists that talk is cheap.
“We drew our first match (against Equatorial Guinea) and many people concluded that we are not here to compete strongly for the trophy. They have since admitted that we may be up to something after we defeated Cote d’Ivoire, and then Cameroon. We must continue to work hard, believe in ourselves and put in a solid shift each day and time we get onto the field.”
Nigeria’s new number one Goalkeeper, Stanley Nwabali may still be available for selection for the quarter-final duel with Palancas Negras of Angola if he passes a late fitness test set for Wednesday.
According to team medics, the 27-year -old copped a mild ligament injury during the Round of 16 battle with the Indomitable Lions on Saturday, and the doctors have been working on him to see if he will come good in a late fitness test 48 hours before the cracker with the southern Africans.
According to Super Eagles Coach, Jose Peseiro, “Fingers crossed. If all goes well, he might be available for selection.”
The Chippa United goal-tender has won the hearts of Nigerians with his self-assured posture between the sticks and his penchant for launching onslaughts with long kicks that have been unsettling the opposition at this tournament.
