By Eniola Olatunji reporting for Patmos Media Line
…It Will Be A Psychological War and Sports Psychologist Can Nip it for Nigeria
NIGERIA’s SUPER Eagles needs a sports psychologist to come back to her elements that made her the team to beat before she can conquer the Pharaohs of Egypt to bag her 9th Bronze on Saturday in Casablanca as both teams clash in the 3rd Place match.
Egypt is not a team to be trampled upon being the most decorated team in Africa with a solid seven titles, a team that parades a distinguished goalkeeper; and a fair brand defence that loves cross passes upfront making the attack led by legendary Mohammed Salah to be well fed with the ball and the midfield that supports the attack but Saturday will be different.
Nigeria did creditably to hold the mighty hosts Morocco in their desperation of many shades on or off field backed by CAF, a funny set of match officials that needs to be dashed books on integrity to read and a vociferous home crowd, all these indices put together in a box that held Morocco spell bound for 120 minutes on their home ground is a great historical achievement.
But the pain of that loss through what football followers call game of death in penalty kicks is worth recovering from before you line up against a crafty stubborn pursuer in the Pharaoh garb or Nigeria may crumble like the cookies crumble.
On historical records Egypt looks like Goliath to Nigeria having met 7 times with Egypt winning 4 of the matches, Nigeria won twice; of the 17 goals scored Egypt scored 10.
Four times both countries met at AFCON where Egypt won twice and drew once. Egypt has the highest victory scores of 3-2 achieved in a friendly match of 12th April 2012.
Take a look at their last six encounters.
Egypt 3-Nigeria 2 in a friendly of 12th April 2012; played 1-1 at an AFCON match of 25th March 2016; piped Nigeria 1-0 at another AFCON match of 29th March 2016 but Nigeria won by a lone goal in a friendly of 26th March 2019; at AFCON 2022 Nigeria at Group D match won by a lone goal scored by Kelechi Ihenacho in the 30th minute and before AFCON 2025 began Egypt won 2-1 in a friendly match.
Kelechi and five other legendary Nigerian players just flew into Morocco to support Nigeria against Egypt.
Rock solid defender Calvin Bassey will be missing in the lineup. He reminds one of a Nigerian defender called Segun Olumodeji aka Olumo Rock who successfully handled the world known Edson Arrento de Nascimento (Pele) when Brazil came to Nigeria in 1968 for a series of friendly matches.
Pele shook hands with Olumo Rock at the King George V Stadiun, Onikan I recall. Bassey may be missing due to match suspension but tall Captain Wilfred Nididi will be back to cut off the cross passes.
Hope Nwabali would have recovered from the pains of the loss to Morocco. Sky Scrapper Paul Onuachi may be dangerous receiving aerial passes.
“If you ask me, na who I go ask? A Nigerian Musician sang. But I have a feeling that without a successful North African football antics Nigeria will whip Egypt in the 3rd place match.
Pharaohs of Egypt scored 9 goals conceding 4 goals with 2 clean slates defeating Zimbabwe 2-1; piped South Africa by a lone goal and played goalless with Angola at the group stages before halting the Cheetahs of Benin 3-1 at the round of 16 games; narrowly edged out Ivory Coast 3-2 at the quarterfinal and lost in the semifinal to Senegal by a lone goal.
Nigeria scored a whopping 14 goals conceding 4 with 2 clean slates beating Tanzania 2-1; defeating Tunisia 3-2 and halting Uganda 3-1 at the group games before mauling Mozambique with a thunderous 4-0 in the round of 16; silenced Algeria 2-0 in the quarterfinal and lost in the semifinal 4-2 on penalties after a pulsating 0-0 after 120 minutes.
Egypt ranked 35 in the world appearing for the 27th time at the Mundial is the most decorated national team on the continent winning AFCON titles seven times in 1957, 1959, 1986, 1998, 2006, 2008 and 2010.
Nigeria ranked 38 in the world is making her 21st appearances at the Mundial winning the title three times in 1980, 1994 and 2013 won Silver five times and Bronze eight times.
The finals will be a Lions war between hosts Atlas Lions of Morocco and former Champions Teranga Lions of Senegal in Rabat at 9.00pm.
#AFCON25 #CAF #FRMF #FMF #SAFA
#FAFA #EFA #NFF.
