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The Super Eagles of Nigeria on Wednesday became the only team with a 100% winning mark heading into the knock-out stage of this year’s Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon, as they sealed a 2-0 win over Guinea Bissau in Garoua, megasportsarena.com reports.
Although the Eagles appeared to struggle for form in the first half, as interim coach, Augustine Eguavoen made eight changes to the starting line-up that beat Egypt and Sudan earlier on, the three-time African champions eventually settled down to knick the win.
Almeria of Spain’s Umar Sadiq opened the scoring early in the second half, following which super-sub, Moses Simon from FC Nantes of France had a goal ruled out, but his effort soon paved way for stand-in captain, William Troost-Ekong to make it two.
That also gave Eguavoen a record equaling feat as the only Nigerian coach to win all three group matches at the Nations, Cup, which he first achieved as handler of the side at the 2006 edition in Egypt, where they beat Zimbabwe, Senegal and Ghana.
This time, victories over Egypt, Sudan and Guinea Bissau in Group D have set tongues wagging about the Eagles’ title-winning potentials at Cameroon 2021 and, though Eguavoen keeps trying to downplay the tag, Wednesday’s second half performance, especially when Simon entered the fray, added vev to the team’s credentials.
While hosts Cameroon qualified for the round of 16 with five points only, Wednesday’s goals from Sadiq and Troost-Ekong helped Nigeria grab nine points after three games in Group D, and everyone is now talking about new champions in making.
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