AFCON
AFCON Triumph Will Underscore The Significance Of The Nigerian Spirit –
President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Ibrahim Musa Gusau believes that Super Eagles’ victory over the Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire in the 34th Africa Cup of Nations Final on Sunday will once more confirm to Nigerians at home and abroad the ultra-potency of the much-talked-about Nigerian Spirit.
“We have always been talking about the Nigerian Spirit but many people simply pay lip service to it. The Nigerian Spirit is of high significance; it is the overpowering conviction that we can get things done with our will-power, hard work, diligence and perseverance.
“Presently, we may be having challenges in certain sectors and facets of our national life, but the Nigerian Spirit can propel us to overcome those challenges and then reach for glory. That is what the Super Eagles have shown here. At the beginning of the tournament, very few people believed in the team. Now, six matches after, we are looking at the trophy and I believe it will definitely be ours.”
The experienced administrator has called on Nigerians from all walks of life to pray for the Super Eagles’ triumph on Sunday. “The triumph will certainly rejuvenate our collective passion to work for the greatness of our communities and the nation at large, and rekindle hope that all present challenges will soon become thorns that we have left behind us.”
The Super Eagles, who failed to win any of their two opening matches in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches in November, and lost 0-2 to Guinea in a friendly in Abu Dhabi five days to the opening match of the AFCON, are unbeaten at this championship and will start as favourites against an Ivorian side that has miraculously found itself at this end of the rope.
Gusau used the opportunity to mourn the five individuals who lost their lives during the tension-soaked penalty shootout victory over South Africa’s Bafana Bafana in Bouaké on Wednesday.
“The Super Eagles already had a minute silence for the dead, but I also want to pray to God to grant the souls of the departed eternal rest. Football is a game of intense passion and the capacity for shock and disappointing results is different from one person to the other. We pray that God will grant the families and friends left behind by the dead the fortitude to bear the losses.”
Sunday’s encounter will be Nigeria’s eighth Final appearance in the 67-year old continental flagship competition, with only seven-time champions Egypt and four-time champions Ghana with more Final-day games. Egypt have been in the Final a total of 10 times, losing out only thrice. Ghana have been in the Final nine times, winning only four times.
Confederation of African Football (CAF) has now released the full fixtures of the qualifying series for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
The fixtures for the Nigerian team is almost in the same pattern with that of the 2026 World Cup qualification which has seen the Super Eagles wobbling.
Like that of the World Cup, the Super Eagles will begin their quest for qualifcation for AFCON with a home game in Uyo as they will host Benin Republic.
As it was in the World Cup, they will then head to Rwanda. Last November, their second match was played in Rwanda which hosted Zimbabwe home match. This time the Super Eagles will be facing Rwanda, the same team they will meet when the World Cup qualification series resume in March next year.
On Match Day 3, the Super Eagles will host Libya and will have the reverse fixture immediately after that of Match Day 3.
Later they travel to Benin for Match Day 5 before hosting Rwanda on the last match day.
The Fixtures
- September 2 – Nigeria vs Benin Republic; Libya vs Rwanda
- September 6 – Rwanda vs Nigeria; Benin Republic vs Libya
- October 11 – Nigeria vs Libya; Benin Republic vs Rwanda
- October 16 – Libya vs Nigeria; Rwanda vs Benin Republic
- November 11 – Benin Republic vs Nigeria; Rwanda vs Libya
- November 15 – Nigeria vs Rwanda; Libya vs Benin Republic
The top two teams qualify for AFCON 2025
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
Former Nigeria manager, Gernot Rohr now handling Benin Republic has warned The Cheetahs of Benin not to expect an easy match when the team meet Rwanda and Nigeria in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers later this month.
Last month, he led his team to defeat both Rwanda and Nigeria in World Cup qualifying duels in Abidjan, where Benin Republic are compelled to play their home matches following inadequate facilities at home.
Benin’s 1-0 defeat of Rwanda was Rohr’s first victory with the team. Days later, he followed up with a 2-1 defeat of Nigeria, the first Benin Republic victory in over 65 years.
Those wins have put Benin in the frame of possible qualification for the World Cup. They are now to meet Nigeria and Rwanda again in World Cup qualifiers.
It won’t be easy, remarked Rohr. Hear the Franco-German as he spoke in French but translated into English for the Sports Village Square: “From September we will play against Nigeria before facing Libya and Rwanda.
“These are three difficult opponents. We had already played Rwanda and Nigeria but be careful, it’s not because we won Rwanda and Nigeria that it will be easy matches.
“ We know that it is possible to achieve good performances again. We know that Nigeria with its great players will want to take revenge against us.
“ I think it will probably be an interesting match in Uyo before continuing against Libya. I suppose in Abidjan because in September the Mathieu Kerekou friendship stadium will not be ready.
“Everything will be decided in three months in September, October and November. It’s a difficult group but it’s playable.
“You have to finish in the top two. We had a team that is becoming solid, where the players are like brothers, accomplices. I hope we will recover the players who were absent. We are confident.”
The journey towards qualification to the Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 shifted a gear higher on Thursday, after CAF officially conducted the draw of the qualifiers in Johannesburg South Africa.
A total of 48 nations will vie for the 24 places that will contests the 35th edition of Africa’s most prestigious competition.
This is what some of the coaches has to say in reaction to the draw outcomes.
Emerse Fae, Cote d’Ivoire coach
“I am satisfied because we are going to play against Zambia, a team that we know very well. In our last qualifying campaign, we lost against them. We know what mistakes to avoid.
“I am also satisfied because I did not want to have countries geographically far from Cote d’Ivoire which will lessen the travel load. That said, in Africa, there are no longer small teams. All the teams will want to challenge us because we are the reigning champions”
Leslie Notši
“The draw is very interesting because when you have the host in your group, it means they qualify automatically for the tournament, and you have to double your efforts to secure the remaining qualification spot which will be contested by the three other teams in the group.
“We will work very hard to see to it that we are competitive side and try as much as we can to get maximum points in matches against countries that are with us in our group. It will be very important to do well in our home games and I know all eyes will be on “Morocco as the hosts and a powerhouse in our group. We will draw inspiration from recent games where we played the likes of Nigeria as well as Cote d’voire and were able to frustrate them”
Amir Abdou, Mauritania Coach
“Quite a complicated draw. Egypt will be the big contender for qualification. They have a good track record that speaks volumes.
“Seven times African champions – that’s no small thing. We also have Cape Verde who eliminated us during the last AFCON.
“This team is made up of many quality players. We have Botswana, they are having a good qualifying campaign for the World Cup. We have a pretty strong group. It’s up to us to believe in ourselves. We will do everything we can to achieve our fourth participation in the AFCON”.
Kévin Nicaise, Chad coach
“We are already having the reigning African champions facing the last qualified team in the FIFA rankings. These will definitely be very difficult matches played at high intensity. We will fight to defend our nation’s pride. The group remains relatively open, and we will approach these qualifications with humility and ambition”.
Badou Zaki, Niger coach
“We have every chance of qualifying. For me, Ghana is a football country with a team that is blessed with great professionals. But this is not the team of 5 or 6 years ago. Even at home, they can lose.
“Angola had a good showing at the last AFCON with their beautiful, modern and fast football. It’s a team that shook up the big teams in Cote d’Ivoire.
“I know Sudan very well. They are first in their World Cup qualifying group. They are going to be dangerous, but we know our strengths and we know we can go far”
-CAF
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