History favours Super Eagles over Walya Antelopes of Ethiopia

WorldStage Newsonline—Looking back at history ahead of the Super Eagles must win confrontation with the Walya Antelopes of Ethiopia on Tuesday, it was 25 years ago that Nigeria failed to win her third match at the Africa Cup of Nations.

At the 1988 championship in Morocco, the Eagles were held to a 0-0 draw by Egypt in their third and final group phase match at the Africa Cup of Nations, but sailed into the semi finals following an earlier 3-0 victory over Kenya and a 1-1 draw with Cameroon’s Indomitable Lions.

This time, the Super Eagles must win their confrontation with the Walya Antelopes of Ethiopia in Rustenburg on Tuesday to be assured of a place in the tournament quarter finals. The clash between holders Zambia and Burkina Faso, which will determine the other qualifier from Group C, takes place simultaneously, in Nelspruit.

On Sunday, the Eagles arrived in Rustenburg for the win-or-bust encounter and looks forward to better fortune than their 1-1 draws in their earlier clashes with Burkina Faso and Zambia.

In June 2011, the Walya Antelopes made life difficult for the Eagles in a 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier, the Nigerians needing a last-gasp equalizer by skipper Joseph Yobo in a 2-2 draw inside the National Stadium in Addis Ababa.

Tuesday is a different proposition as the Nigerians unleash their full strength against a side that fell 4-0 to 10-man Burkina Faso at Mbombela on Friday.

At Libya 1982, a young Nigerian team walloped the Ethiopians 3-0 in a group phase match in Benghazi. Current Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi scored one goal in each half in that triumph, and says his charges will seek to repeat that feat in Tuesday’s game at the Royal Bafokeng. Read more