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Nigeria's fate in the balance as they face Benin
By Richard Avornyotse - GNA Sports Desk
Accra, Jan 28, Ghanadot/GNA -
Federation of International Football Associations' (FIFA)
best rated African team, the Super Eagles of Nigeria will
have their fate in the balance when they line up in their
green and white jerseys against Benin at the Sekondi Sports
Stadium on Tuesday.
This dicey Group B tie will only, in part, determine
Nigeria's continued stay in the African Championship as the
result of the other group match between Cote d'Ivoire and
Mali running simultaneously in Accra, will be vital to the
survival of "Giants of Africa" regardless of the score-line
in their own match.
Having lost against Cote d'Ivoire and drawn against Mali,
the Nigerians remain on a solitary point and a victory over
Benin can only peg them on four points.
The Nigerians will then be praying for Cote d'Ivoire to beat
Mali to keep the Frederic Kanoute inspired side on four
points and a goal to their advantage, while the Super go for
a harvest against Benin to upstage the Malians.
Thus the Nigerians do not entirely have their fate in their
own hands if Didier Drogba and his colleague Elephants
decide to stay tamed and allow the Malians to beat them or
share honours with them.
When that happens, it will be a requiem for the Super
Eagles, who will have to catch the next available plane to
depart Ghana and face the wrath of their disenchanted
countrymen in Africa's most populous country.
The Nigerian performance in the tournament does not in any
way reflect the quality of players they registered to make
real their belief of winning the continental diadem after
every 14 years.
That thought will certainly be a mirage if the permutation
does not go their way and their array of stars, most of
whom, earn mega bucks in England will have to make an early
return to the Barclays Premiership to work for their wages.
Berti Vogtts, their German trainer, will most likely field
veteran Nwankow Kanu, having said after his teams draw with
Mali that he missed the six-foot-three player very dearly in
that match.
For once in this championship, Obafemi Martins, John Utaka
and Yakubu Aiyegbeni should find their scoring boots and
bang in the goals, hoping that Cote d'Ivoire will play a
comfortable ally by beating Mali.
The Eagles should, however, be mindful of the danger those
bearing Yoruba names but donning Benin colours might pose to
them in this confrontation.
Razack Omotoyossi and Mouritala Ogunbiyi are the pair of
attackers Benin would rely upon to compound the problems of
the Nigerians.
In Accra, the odds favour Cote d'Ivoire but Mali has an
arsenal loaded with a variety of ammunition that can blast
away any side with destructive consequences.
Real Madrid's Mamadou Diarra, Liverpool's Sissoko and the
Serville pair of Frederic Kanoute and Seydou Keita carry
good enough credentials to make the duel a 'final before the
final' match.
The Ivorians have nothing to lose, win or lose, but sheer
pride will spark their ambitions into gear and make the game
a very competitive one.
Mali needs at least a draw to sail through and could earn
that if they adopt a high posture of technical and tactical
play.
GNA
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