Putting aside the ugly off the pitch incidence that occurred between the Eagles and Nigeria Football Federation over the issue of appearance fee, Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi has boasted his team will make life difficult for the French national team when they meet tomorrow. There is only one recorded clash between Nigeria and France at senior level, and that was an international friendly in Paris on June 2, 2009, which Nigeria won 1-0 via Joseph Akpala.
Tomorrow, the stage will be different- a FIFA World Cup encounter with no second chance. At the magnificent 72,000 capacity Estadio Nacional Mane Garrincha in Brasilia, the Eagles will face the 1998 champions.
“I said before the tournament that our mentality must be strong. Our approach to every match has always been the same: to win. Whether we are playing against Spain at the FIFA Confederations Cup or playing against Liberia in a friendly match, I always tell the boys that victory is non –negotiable.”
He said he is not bothered or thinking about the quarter finals but only wants to subdue France first. “For us, we will go into Monday’s match aiming to win. But as I also said before the competition, we take it one match at a time. We don’t even want to think of who might be lurking in the quarter finals if we win; we are not bothered. All we know is that we must win on Monday,” Keshi reiterated.
Should Nigeria go past France, the Eagles will play the winner in the tie between three– time champions Germany and fellow Africans Algeria, who are playing in the Round of 16 for the first time ever.
Tomorrow’s clash will be an encounter between six of Nigeria’s internationals plying their trades in England in the English Premiership against nine of France’s best. Nigeria captain Joseph Yobo, who will reach the historic 100th–cap mark if featured against the French, plays for Norwich City.
Tomorrow, the stage will be different- a FIFA World Cup encounter with no second chance. At the magnificent 72,000 capacity Estadio Nacional Mane Garrincha in Brasilia, the Eagles will face the 1998 champions.
“I said before the tournament that our mentality must be strong. Our approach to every match has always been the same: to win. Whether we are playing against Spain at the FIFA Confederations Cup or playing against Liberia in a friendly match, I always tell the boys that victory is non –negotiable.”
He said he is not bothered or thinking about the quarter finals but only wants to subdue France first. “For us, we will go into Monday’s match aiming to win. But as I also said before the competition, we take it one match at a time. We don’t even want to think of who might be lurking in the quarter finals if we win; we are not bothered. All we know is that we must win on Monday,” Keshi reiterated.
Should Nigeria go past France, the Eagles will play the winner in the tie between three– time champions Germany and fellow Africans Algeria, who are playing in the Round of 16 for the first time ever.
Tomorrow’s clash will be an encounter between six of Nigeria’s internationals plying their trades in England in the English Premiership against nine of France’s best. Nigeria captain Joseph Yobo, who will reach the historic 100th–cap mark if featured against the French, plays for Norwich City.
No comments:
Post a Comment