By GBOLAHAN DADA
Nigeria’s Super Eagles are ready to take the Stallions of Burkina Faso to the knacker’s yard in the first duel of Group C of the Africa Cup of Nations at Mbombela Stadium, South Africa. After a two-week intense training in Faro, Portugal and series of friendly matches, Nigerian team looks good to stamp its authority on the group by going all out against the less fancied Stallions.
Having put on the armour of strength and determination, the dreaded Nigerian team is raring to go in the championship. The Eagles have girded their loins to put an end to the tag of ‘never-do-well’ in the competition of this magnitude. According to the reports filed yesterday by the Eagles spokesperson in South Africa, Ben Alaya, the boys had pulled up their socks to make good impression at the championship. The players had to defy heavy downpour to prepare for today’s cracker.
Eagles had settled down with four training sessions so far on the lush green pitch of Ingwenyama Sports and Resort Centre since their arrival in South Africa. Keshi took the players on overcoming the exhaustion after a long trip.Not even the heavy downpour on Saturday and yesterday could prevent the Nigerian side from having its training sessions as it prepares for its opening game today against Burkina Faso. “We can’t take chances whether it rains or not”, Chelsea’s John Mikel Obi said when asked about the readiness of the team. “All the players responded very well and the team is injury free, with Skipper Joseph Yobo saying it is good to be back in the bright sunny weather of Africa.
“It’s been good since we got here and I think the players are gradually getting used to being together and I know we will have a beautiful tournament”, the Eagles’ skipper declared. The 2013 edition will be Nigeria’s 17th appearance at the tournament proper after she sensationally failed to qualify last year for the 2012 edition in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea. Having won the tournament twice, on home soil in 1980 and then in Tunisia in 1994. Coach Stephen Keshi has actually built his team around some home players and it won’t be a surprise to see one of them playing against Burkina Faso.
Meanwhile, Burkina Faso will be making her 9th appearance at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, having qualified as Upper Volta prior to 1984. __Her best finish was back in 1998 when she ended in fourth place during the tournament in which she the host; however, her recent performances have seen her failing to get past the group stage in five consecutive attempts between 2000 and 2012. The team is determined to improve on its record in the competition.
The Burkinabe will be relying on star striker, Moumouni Dagano, who currently plays for Al-Sailiya Sport Club in Qatar, and is the country’s top goal scorer of all time.She also has a number of top players who ply their trade in the Ligue 1 in France such as FC Lorient’s forward, Alain Traore, Stade Rennais midfielder Jonathan Pitroipa, as well as Lyon’s defender, Bakary Kone, who will all be expected to bring their international experiences to help their side reach the knockout stages in South Africa.