Former Nigerian international, Folorunso Okenla has urged the Super Eagles to approach the round of 16 match against Indomitable Lions of Cameroon on Saturday as a cup final.
Sporting Tribune reports that the two African football giants have between them eight AFCON trophies with the Cameroonians winning it five times in 1984, 1988, 2000 (all against Nigeria), 2002 and 2017 while Nigeria has triumphed three times in 1980 on home soil, 1994 in Tunisia and 2013 in South Africa.
Speaking exclusively with Sporting Tribune ahead of the ‘titanic battle’ which will hold at the Felix Houphet Boigny Stadium in Ivory Coast on Saturday, Okenla who was part of the then Green Eagles squad to Maroc 1988 AFCON, while commending the boys for their display so far charged them not to leave anything to chances against the Cameroonians especially in the midfield which it said should play more of compact football, take the game to the opponents and bring out the true Nigerian spirit in them on the match day.
He urged the players to step up their game by putting more passion and aggression as seen in their game against Ivory Coast. He also called on the players to communicate more often and effectively on the field of play and cover every blade of the grass to have an edge and carry the day against their perennial rival while adding that teamwork and discipline will deliver the game for the three-time African champions on Saturday.
“The Super Eagles started their campaign on a note that was not really bad looking at how Nigerians have even spoken about the team before the competition. They went to the second game to surprise everybody beating the host team in the manner they did and we also expected them to go to the third game and blast the team (Guinea Bissau) but unfortunately, they were unable to do that. That is to tell you that the consistency in the team is not at the level that every Nigerian expects the Super Eagles to be playing.
“They have been able to get to the knockout stage now and from this stage, it is completely different from the group stage. The Super Eagles have always been a team that can stand up to the biggest opposition and perform. I will be looking at the game on Saturday as a final for the Super Eagles and when you find the Super Eagles in the final of every competition, it is expected that you would naturally see them in overdrive.
“So, coming into Saturday’s game, it would be a game that every player will want to be there and be counted for by giving his best from the goalkeeper who has done wonderfully well and I will say it is better than what we have seen in the past with our goalkeepers and the defence led by a good captain who has also come to stand up and be counted when he was needed. So I give credit to Troost-Ekong what what he has done and he has led the team very well.
“In the midfield, with the style of play that we have expressed, there seems to be too much gap between our midfielders and also too much gap between the midfield and the attack. Even though it has served us well in the last two games, coming into the game against the Cameroonians will need to certainly restructure that midfield to ensure that they are more together and that there isn’t too much space or gap between the midfield and the attack such that the Cameroonians will not be able to take advantage of such gaps. In the game against the Ivorians, yes we scored as a result of the penalty kick, but we left so many spaces in and around everywhere on the field of play and that can be a very negative thing for us if we allow that to happen against the Cameroonians.
“The Cameroonians from the matches they have played were very mobile, very aggressive and covered a lot of distance and space and their style of play is so robust. I will expect a very compact midfield that is ready to shield our defence and at the same time prepare to support Osimhen upfront for him to be able to get the kind of service that will enable him to score if and when those opportunities do come.
“So, on Saturday, we need to have everything that is required for us to deliver right from the goalkeeper to the defenders to the midfield as well to the guys up front. Communication would be key. They need to communicate effectively to be able to cover areas that have gaps and be able to take advantage of areas that have space for them to walk in. I think that if we play a little more than we did against the Ivorians, the passion, the aggression and the focus, we should be able to match the Cameroonians with everything they would be bringing to the table.
“Yes, going into the game, on records, they (Cameroon) have done better than Nigeria, but that is not to say that we cannot beat them. It is just for us to turn up on the day and be ready to be counted and also play for our country, for ourselves and for our families and I think those players are ready and willing to do so. I’m looking forward to a victory for Nigeria. It may be just 1-0 or 2-1 but I don’t expect too many goals on Saturday from both sides,” Okenla who featured for Birmingham City of England submitted.