The Super Eagles reaching the final of the 2023 AFCON in Cote d’Ivoire last year deceived many of us into believing they have arrived.
That was The Great Deception.
Despite losing the championship game to hosts Cote d’Ivoire, the Federal Government of Nigeria went ahead to shower them with national honours, houses and cash.
The reality check after this generosity is that this team failed to qualify for the expanded 48-team World Cup to be staged in the New Year.
This may well explain why expectations on the team going into this AFCON are low.
Can the Super Eagles again defy such expectations?
The NFF target is for the team to reach the final again in Morocco, while many fans would insist they win a fourth AFCON to partly make up for a back-to-back failure to qualify for the World Cup.
This will be the second AFCON for coach Eric Chelle after he led Mali to the quarterfinal, where they fell 2-1 to the hosts Cote d’Ivoire after extra time last year.
He has called upon the core of the squad from the failed 2026 World Cup campaign, while also freshening the team with several exciting prospects.
Ebenezer Akinsanmiro and Tochukwu Nnadi are two defensive midfielders who have held their own in the Italian Serie A and the Belgian Jupiler Pro League, respectively.
Ryan Alebiosu has posted some good numbers in the English Championship with Blackburn Rovers to be considered a direct replacement for the injured Ola Aina.
It will therefore be a straight fight between Alebiosu and Bright Osayi-Samuel for the starting shirt in the Super Eagles.
Otherwise, the coach is most likely to go with his already settled starting XI as well as his favoured 4-4-2 formation.
Stanley Nwabali in goal, fullbacks Zaidu Sanusi and Osayi-Samuel/Alebiosu as well as the central defence pairing of Calvin Bassey and Semi Ajayi.
The midfield will remain captain Wilfred Ndidi alongside Alex Iwobi, Samuel Chukwueze and Ademola Lookman wingers and a strike force of Victor Osimhen and Jerome Akor.
It is crucial to win your opening group game as it often sets the tone of what would become of your overall campaign.
The pressure is therefore on the Super Eagles to beat Tanzania Tuesday in Fes to get their campaign up and running, before facing World Cup-bound Tunisia four days later.
This will be the third AFCON for the Taifa Stars, who are yet to win a match in the tournament.
Tanzania and regional rivals Uganda are widely considered the makeweights in Group C, but the Super Eagles and Tunisia must have to prove this where it matters most – on the pitch.
