AFCON: Eagles will win bronze By Emeka Obasi

Anytime Nigeria confronted West African hosts in the group stage of the African Nations Cup, the Eagles ended up as third best. It began in 1978, happened again in 1992 and continued in 2002.

As we countdown to the 2024 edition in Cote d’Ivoire, Super Eagles are drawn in group A with the home team, Elephants. Jose Peseiro has no reason to fail woefully as History is in favour of his team. Should the Portuguese leave Abidjan empty handed, he has no reason to return to Abuja.

In 1978, Eagles tormented hosts, Black Stars of Ghana,  before a capacity crowd of 60,000 fans at the Accra Sports Stadium. Right winger, Segun Odegbami, put Nigeria ahead in the 33rd minute. Relief came late in the second half when Willie Klutse hit the equaliser.

That game made Odegbami a hero. Thrice, between 2000 and 2002, I travelled to Ghana with the star. Anytime he entered the Accra Stadium, shouts of ‘Mathematical’ welcomed us. All of that because of what he did to Ghanaians in 1978.

As Team Manager of Shooting Stars in 1983, he was sent to Ghana to recruit players for the 1984 CAF Champions League. On December 31, he rushed to the Kotoka International Airport only to be turned back because Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and the Beret Boys had overthrown President Shehu Shagari.

With air, land and sea borders closed, Odegbami was stranded in Ghana. His name would later help survive those agonising days. Shooting Stars and Ghana are friends. Philip Boamah, Sam Asante, Joe Appiah, Saka Abose, Kennedy Dappah and John Orlando, all played for the Oluyole Warriors.

At the Senegal 1992 African Nations Cup, Stephen Keshi led the Eagles to beat Jules Bocande and the Teranga Lions, at the Stade de l’ Amitie, Dakar. I was part of the 60, 000 crowd. The hosts believed so much in coach Claude Leroy.

Four years earlier, Leroy led Cameroon to a dubious grand finale victory over Nigeria at the Maroc 1988 edition of the tournament. In Dakar, Samson Siasia shocked Senegal with a goal in the 13th minute. Bocande equalised nine minutes to intermission.

Keshi showed leadership three minutes later with a great move and a classy goal. It ended 2-1. The Senegalese could not stomach that loss. They called for the Manager’s head. Many of them could not understand why a team with Bocande and Roger Mendy failed to beat Nigeria.

In 2002, hosts Mali were held to a barren draw in  group A at Stade du 26 Mars, Bamako. Both teams qualified from the group and met again in the Third Place match. Yakubu Aiyegbeni’s 29th minute goal was all the Super Eagles needed to win bronze in Mopti.

There are similarities between the 2002 and 2024 squads. Two Victors, Ikpeba and Agali, were in Mali. The Cote D’Ivoire  Victors will be Osimhen and Boniface. Prince of Monaco, Ikpeba, was African Footballer of the Year. Prince of Naples, Osimhen, is African Footballer of the Year.

The 2002 Eagles had one player from Enyimba, Eric Ejiofor. Representing the Aba Elephants in 2024 is Olorunleke Ojo. Victor Boniface plays for German side, Bayer Leverkusen. Karibe Ojigwe was there in 2002. Defender Ifeanyi Udeze came from PAOK Salonika in 2002. That is exactly the same as William Troost – Ekong’s club in 2024.

One strange development is that whoever defeated Nigeria in the semi finals of the 1978,  1992 and 2002 editions, respectively, ended up losing the grand finale. Uganda lost to Ghana in 1978. Ghana lost to Cote D’Ivoire in 1992 and Senegal lost to Cameroon in 2002.

The semi finals games also ended 2-1 against  the Eagles. Martins Eyo’s goal could not stop the Cranes in 1978. Mutiu Adepoju’s was not enough against the Black Stars in 1992 either.
Senegal’s 2-1 victory in 2002 came during extra time.

I would not forget Senegal ‘ 92. I chatted with Abedi Pele who equalised for the Black Stars and Prince Opoku Polley who finished the job. While Nigerians blamed Austin Eguavoen for the first goal, the scorer announced that Eguavoen was so good but only God could have stopped Abedi from getting that equaliser. Polley just said sorry to me, that the job had to be done.

It is remarkable that while Nigeria won bronze, individual players shone. In 1978, Odegbami was joint Top Scorer, Three Goals, with Opoku Afriyie of Ghana and Philip Omondi of Uganda.

In 1992, Rashidi Yekini, was Top Scorer with Four Goals, beating Abedi who missed the grand finale with Cote d’Ivoire. At Mali 2002, Julius Aghahowa finished as Top Scorer with Patrick Mboma and fellow Cameroonian, Salomon Olembe. Each of them scored three goals.

When Nigeria won bronze in 1978, just one player, Odegbami, made the CAF Team of the Tournament. The number increased to two at Senegal ’92. Keshi and Yekini were picked. It rose to three at Mali 2002 with the inclusion of Taribo West, Udeze and Aghahowa.

On paper, today, Peseiro and his Eagles look worthless, like the naira. The only asset they have is Osimhen. However, soccer is not Mathematics, little wonder Engineer Odegbami became Mathematical. Anything can happen.

Cote d’Ivoire 2024 must not be another heart attack. History favours Super Eagles to come back with a medal. If they are unable to get to the grand finale, they must settle for the available medal. Bronze is not good enough but forgiveable.