Two days ago, It was like history repeating itself.
The date was March 22, 1980.
That was the day Nigeria first made a mincemeat of Algeria, probably the strongest national team in Africa on the eve of AFCON 1980.
The Green Eagles put up an incredible display of high-pressing, hard-tackling, confident, disciplined, physical, full-throated attacking football and stunned the Desert Foxes with three unreplied goals – the highest defeat of Algeria in AFCON history.
Two days ago, it seemed like a repeat. The game was almost too easy to be true. It was 1980 all over again for those that were there, as my mind was flooded with the memories of that encounter.
These Super Eagles have awakened my once-waning spirit. I sat and watched how they came out flying, totally dominating the match in every way. The Algerians did not even get a glimpse of the Nigerian goal until 80 minutes into the game, by which time, when they woke up from the slumber of hopelessness against a faster, stronger, more combative and sleeker Eagles, the match was over.
They were left in a daze of confusion, wondering what had just hit them.
Their frustration was eventually vented on the innocent centre-referee that had added nothing to their predicament.
The Super Eagles performance, on the night, was a masterclass.
Next are the Atlas Lions!
The immediate effect of the superbly controlled performance against Algeria is that the Moroccans must now be pissing in their pants in anxiety and dread of the Eagles on fire, a team now finding their rhythm, creating and scoring goals freely, and improving steadily from match to match!
Wednesday is on everybody’s mind now. I am already playing the match in my mind. The Atlas Lions would be a tougher mountain to climb only because they would have the 12th ‘player’ on their side, a vociferous, 60,000-strong ‘army’ of supporters in the terraces.
But then, these Eagles are primed and ready. They will do the ‘impossible’ and soar successfully over the Atlas Mountains!
By Segun ‘Mathematical’ Odegbami, former Super Eagles star
