Apathy As Eagles Take on Black Mambas

Apathy As Eagles Take on Black Mambas

The Super Eagles of Nigeria go into today's World and Nations Cup qualifier against Mozambique needing a win to keep up the pressure on Group B leaders, Carthage Eagles of Tunisia, who are also at home to the Harambee Stars of Kenya. However, a win for Tunisia and a loss or draw for Nigeria will see the North Africans qualify for their fifth World Cup.

Nigeria missed the chance of going tops in the group when it played a 2-2 draw against Tunisia in the last game played at the Abuja Stadium. That result put the Nigerian team in its present precarious position needing Tunisia to slip and hope for favourable results in today's game and the last one against Kenya to have a chance of playing at the World Cup in South Africa.

Nigeria's preparation for today's encounter has been hampered by injury to Mikel Obi and vice captain, Joseph Yobo, who are both important members of the Nigerian team and it is not clear whether they would be ready for Mozambique. Both players got injured playing for their clubs, but still showed up at the Super Eagles training camp.

Super Eagles coach, Shuaibu Amodu, while expressing doubts over the fitness of both players on Friday said that they were still some way from fitness. "Yobo is not up to 75 per cent fit, and Mikel is also not fully fit. For the moment, they are here to support their team mates and I don't think they will be ready on time to play against Mozambique," the Nigerian coach said.

The return of Yakubu Aiyegbeni and Wolfsburg's Obafemi Martins should add bite to the Eagles attack, while the absence of Ikechukwu Uche who has been impressive for the Super Eagles throughout the qualifiers, would be felt after he was ruled out for eight weeks following the injury he sustained playing for his team, Real Zaragoza in Spain. Martins had a bad day in his last game for Eagles in Maputo, failing to convert two beautiful chances that came his way.

Fulham's Dickson Etuhu, who was recalled, would also be absent due to injury while Kalu Uche who plays for Almeria in Spain was one of the casualties of Eagles' failure against Tunisia. In the absence of Etuhu, Seyi Olofinjana should provide the needed cover for the defence that might be without Yobo while Taiye Taiwo, Dele Adeleye and others would do well to keep the Mozambicans at bay.

Doubts over fans turn out have heightened but the duo of Kanu and Martins have pleaded with Nigerians to come out en masse to support the Super Eagles in their remaining games.

Kanu, who said the Eagles were not interested in mind games with Mozambique, whose captain, Tico Tico Bucuane, has been goading Nigeria, stated that despite the disadvantage the Super Eagles faced in the qualifying series, Nigerians should support the team in its remaining games. Bucuane said that they (Mozambicans) were coming to Nigeria with poison and intended to pick their ticket to the African Cup of Nations in Angola early next year.

But Kanu said the challenge was to focus on the game and earn the three points, and not to engage in idle talk. "We have a job to do and we are here to do it. We don't want to be talking too much. Our determination is to get the points and hope for the best in the remaining games, so we can qualify for the World Cup finals," he said.

"Everybody is here to do their best, whether they are playing or not. There is still hope that we can go to the World Cup, and everybody wants to make sure they contribute because it is not over until it is over," Kanu added.

To Martins, who said he was delighted to be back in the national team, the challenge was in winning the two games remaining and wait for what happens in the other games. "It's not all about talking. We can talk all week but we have to give our best and win on Sunday (today). It's very important and people will see what will happen at the end of the game. I am here to give my best and I hope the rest of the players will do well also."

For Amodu, genuine fans will come out to cheer and continue to support the team despite their present situation, saying that those who do not come out are not wanted.

The team came under heavy criticism following last month's 2-2 draw against Tunisia, which seriously compromised Nigeria's chances of appearing at next year's World Cup.

Since then, however, apathy has crept in, with many fans expressing indifference at the team, and a large number prepared to stage a sit at home protest. Amodu said he was not surprise by the reaction and hit back at the fair weather fans.

He told Kickoff: "I expected that. A good number of Nigerians pretend to know the game and support the game, but they don't know it. As it is, those who will come to the stadium today will be our genuine supporters. They are the ones who know and love football, and those are the people we want."

He went further accusing the populace of taking out their frustrations in the country's other failing sectors on the national football team. "Nobody should extend the disappointment in the fortunes of this country on us in football. Our teams have been playing games all over the world. That football has been played here and there means that we have been the ones carrying the banner of Nigeria all over the world.

"We don't want to face it, but I am saying it. The only thing that is representing Nigeria all over the world is football. The only thing we are selling to the world right now is football. And anybody who does not care about the fact that we are doing our utmost best to represent this country does not appreciate it.

"They should ask questions about other organs what they are doing. Why is it only football? Nobody should take the problems of Nigeria and put it on football. In football, like other sports, you cannot get all your results overnight. Along the line you will have disappointing results, and you will also have good ones.

He continued: "That is the nature of sport. You will win some, you will lose some and you will draw some. This attitude of win at all cost is what we have carried into our political life. That is why when a politician loses an election, he claims it was rigged and goes to the tribunal. But if he wins, the election is good. Then we keep on fighting ourselves everyday rather than move a step forward."

To ensure that it is adequately prepared for today's World Cup qualifier against the Super Eagles, the Black Mambas of Mozambique trained in Ghana to acclimatise to the weather before moving to Abuja. The team arrived in Accra last Sunday and began serious preparation for the game, which Mozambique hopes to win to enhance its chances of qualifying for the Mundial.

The Southern African country is currently third in Group B with four points, and it hopes that a victory today and against Tunisia in its last match will take it to 10 points, which could be enough for a ticket to South Africa.

Mozambique's most capped star, Manuel Bucuane alias 'Tico Tico', told goal.com before the team left South Africa for Accra that the clash against the Super Eagles would be a difficult game. "It will be tough, but we hope to make a plan with the coach to get a result in Nigeria," he said.

'Tico Tico' grabbed the match winner when Mozambique hosted the Harambee Stars of Kenya last month in continuation of the qualifying series. Nigeria held the Black Mambas to a goalless draw when they first clashed in Maputo in March.