Football enthusiasts hail Super Eagles triumph over Angola
Some football enthusiasts have hailed the Super Eagles for their quarterfinal defeat of Angola at the ongoing 2023 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cote d'Ivoire.
Supreme News reports that the Super Eagles defeated Palancas Negras of Angola 1-0 on Friday to progress to the semifinal stage.
A cross section of football fans who spoke to newsmen on Saturday in Abuja urged them not to relent in their subsequent matches.
Adewunmi Odukoya, a football coach, said that the better team won the game, adding that the Eagles had a better game plan by putting Angola under pressure.
"It was a very good match for the Super Eagle, but they should also prepare for penalties,” he said.
Ngozi Okonkwo, an assistant football coach, said that the Super Eagles have done well. She urged the coaching crew to work on the scoring ability of the team.
“Both Cape Verde and South Africa teams are very good, with good technical crews who break down teams with their fast breaks and counterattacks.
"We should never allow the game to end in penalty shootouts, and I think that will help us because the key thing is for the team to win.
“The tournament is becoming very difficult. An unexpected team, DR Congo, has advanced to this stage, and this looks more serious and competitive,” she said.
Haruna Aliyu, an assistant football coach, said that the Super Eagles performance so far in the tournament has shown their determination to do well.
"They exhibited agility and strength. Simon Moses assisted Ademola Lookman to score, opening up the Angolan defence. It was an impressive match, beating the Angolans.
“What is needed now is for the team to remain disciplined and focused on prosecuting their semifinal match,” he said.
“We will possibly proceed to the final stage with more vigour, devoid of distractions, and our flag will continue to be raised among nations,” he said.
Memunat Dabai, a football coach, has lauded the team for maintaining dominant posture in their games.
Benson Orakwe, a secondary school coach, said that the Super Eagles crossing this hurdle are now two steps away from the final, and we need to rewrite history
"They have done extraordinarily well. The show of character, talent display, and, of course, determination to excel were quite obvious in their games,” he said.
Supreme News reports that the Eagles face the winner of the quarterfinal clash between Cape Verde’s Blue Sharks and the Bafana Bafana of South Africa.
The semi-final encounter is scheduled to take place on Wednesday at the Stade de la Paix in Bouake by 5 p.m.
