By Eniola Olatunji reporting for Patmos Media Line
See Confirmed R16 Fixtures Here . . .
NIGERIA’s MEN’s football Manager, Eric Chelle has been sleeping with his football table (a computer device) under his pillow and carrying it everywhere including restaurants so as to use vital team information stored in the device to plot an unquestionable and commendable decision on team selection for his pending R16 match against Mambas of Mozambique on Monday at 8.00pm.
Patmos Media line can reveal that the Malian tactician, Chelle who has not lost a single match since taking over the Super Eagles management has kept his team Sports Psychologist, his captain, Wilfred Ndidi and the man he described as the best striker in the whole world, Victor Osimhen close to himself even holding nocturnal meetings to plot outright comprehensive elimination of the Mambas.
Chelle admitted before the media in Morocco that his last selection against Uganda described by Nigerian fans as second string Eagles and their great performance is making him spend hours on his drawing board. Said he: “Nigeria has a reservoir of talented players that can hold any team in the world, but that depends on the plans of the manager and the will of the players”.
Football Administrators with him in Morocco told him that last time the Super Eagles won their entire group games at 2021 CHAN the team lost at the R16 stage and the meeting with the Mambas (a dreaded poisonous snake) in Mozambique on Monday is making his heart skip beats making him need a Cardiologist probably for irregular heartbeat.
Patmos Media learnt the players are in high spirit with a strong desire to establish superiority over the Mambas by feasting on their intestines. The Mambas are in the first ever appearance at a R16 game as the team lost all previous five appearances at the group stages.
Before now, four players were at risk of suspension at R16 game for Nigeria namely Osimhen; Lookman; Frank Onyeka and Goalkeeper Bobo Stanley Nwabali but Chelle took risks without consulting any insurance company and got a premium dismantling Uganda with their Nigeria born star Uche.
Sources tol Patmos Media Line that only two injured players will not be available on Monday namely Cyril Dresser and new boy Ryan Alebiosu who has a deep tear on his right leg. The good news about injury is that Nwabali is now fit as he trained with the team on Wednesday morning.
Mozambique is ranked 102 in the world and has just made history qualifying for first Knockout stages in six appearances whereas the Super Eagles ranked 38 in the world whereas Nigeria ranks 38 in the world is in their 21st AFCON appearances winning Gold three times, Silver five times and Bronze eight times showing Big Brother Naija.
On current performances, Group C ended with Nigeria earning maximum 9 points, scoring 8 goals and conceding 4 while Mozambique managed a good 3rd position in group F with 3 position scoring 4 goals and conceding 5 coming as a lucky loser.
In the previous head to head record Nigeria is an overwhelming better goal scorer and in Morocco, Nigeria scored 8 goals and Mozambique scored 4 meaning Eagles will pump up the goals to stop Mozambican dream of advancement. Eagles will need a tight defense to halt the Mambas who will rely of provocations in the Nigerian box for penalties as well depend of fast breaks with cross passes to overcome the Eagles defense that is not quick with the ball.
Meanwhile the terrible cold weather and rainfall in Morocco is making Nigerian fans very uneasy but they are used to Nigerian ;Mai Shai; a name for roadside Bread, fried eggs and tea specialist in Northern Nigeria. Some fans attend Coffee bars to shake off the cold and there is no report of health break down as a result of the harsh weather. Morocco is making brisk business selling winter coat to football tourists.
Here is the official fixture for the round of 16 matches:
1. Senegal vs Sudan at 5.00pm on Saturday Jan 3rd.
2. Mali vs Tunisia at 8.00pm on Saturday Jan 3rd.
3. Morocco vs Tanzania at 5.00pm on Sunday Jan 4.
4. South Africa vs Cameroon at 8.00pm on Sunday Jan 4.
5. Egypt vs Benin at 5.00pm on Monday Jan 5.
6. Nigeria vs Mozambique at 8.00pm on Monday Jan 5.
7. Algeria vs DR Congo at 5.00pm on Tuesday Jan 6.
8. CIV vs BFA at 8.00pm on Tuesday Jan 6.
#AFCON25 #CAF #NFF
@Ericchelle @Demolaolajiire.
