AFCON: Super Eagles exceeded expectations, says Akanni

Ex-international, Waidi Akanni, says Super Eagles performed beyond his expectation at the just concluded 2023 Africa Nations Cup (AFCON) in Cote d’Ivoire.

Akanni said this in an interview with the newsmen in Lagos, while reacting to the Super Eagles 2-1 defeat in the finals against host country Cote d’ Ivorie.

“I think the boys should be proud of themselves, I believe majority of Nigerians never believed that we would get to the finals. They surpassed expectations.

“There should be no bashing whatsoever. Although they didn’t play well as they did during the semifinal match against South Africa. We got here through luck in some matches and hard work in some matches.

“They showed us what the Nigerian spirit is all about, they fought fair and square; in football if you don’t play well you won’t win, luck can’t continue to carry you through,” he said.

He, however, urged the handlers of the team to go back to the drawing board and invest in the success of Super Eagles in future competitions.

“AFCON is gone, we should get our acts right, and focus on what’s next, and we all need to give this vibrant boys all the support they need to thrive.

“The handler of the team should see to it that the players correct whatever lapses they noticed during AFCON,” he said.

Supreme News reports that host Cote d’Ivoire came from a goal down to defeat Nigeria 2-1 in a pulsating final on Sunday in Abidjan, to lift the AFCON trophy for the third time.