Nigeria vs Mozambique: Super Eagles against the ghost of history

By Jacob Ajom

Little by little, a distinction is being made between boys and men. Sudan, along with the surprising exit of Tunisia, has been eliminated. The signs are alarming as the Super Eagles prepare to face Mozambique, a team making its debut in the knockout stage. Many Nigerians perceive this matchup as advantageous; a settled outcome already, but the Mambas, who advanced to the Round of 16 by being one of the top four third-placed teams, represent a significant obstacle for the ambitions of the Super Eagles.

History tends to recirculate itself, often appearing as an unwelcome reminder. Rewind to AFCON 2021, which took place in early 2022 in Cameroon. The Super Eagles played all their group games in Garoua, located in the Adamawa region of Cameroon. Under the constant management of Nigeria's caretaker coach Austin Eguavoen, the Super Eagles commenced their campaign in an impressive manner. Their first opponent, Egypt, succumbed 1-0, followed by Sudan, which lost 3-1, and then a 2-0 triumph against Guinea-Bissau.

The Super Eagles collected all the points available, scored 7 goals, and let in 1. Coach Eguavoen was awarded Best Coach of the group stage, and Moses Simon was recognized in the best XI for the group matches.

The Round of 16 brought a confrontation with Tunisia, a team that managed just a single win in the group phase. After leading Group D, Nigeria stayed at the Roumde Adjia Stadium in Garoua for the match. Prior to the game, there were discussions that Tunisia intended to appeal to CAF for a possible change of the match date, citing that their squad didn’t have substitutes due to COVID-19 cases. It was challenging to determine if this was a psychological tactic or an attempt to instill a false sense of security in Nigeria. Unfortunately, it worked. Tunisia surprised Nigeria with a lone goal by Youssef Msakni, who scored with a long-range effort just two minutes into the second half. Alex Iwobi was shown a red card, and goalkeeper Maduka Okoye faced harsh criticism for allowing the shot to get past him. This pivotal moment has significantly impacted Okoye’s international career.

Currently, Nigeria finds itself in a comparable predicament. The Mambas secured their spot in the Round of 16 after achieving only one win out of three games, aligning with their status as underdogs. Nevertheless, remaining in the competition while historically more skilled teams have exited conveys a clear message of determination. They are entitled to this place and are prepared to fight. Influential midfielder from Mozambique, Manuel Kambala, has stated emphatically, “we are not going home on Monday.” He exhibits a combative and fearless spirit.

Nigeria's head coach Eric Chelle presents himself as a composed figure. He has not been swayed by his recognition as Best Coach of the Group stage. He remarked, “we have not secured anything yet. We are striving for the trophy, but the priority right now is Mozambique.”

Chelle is aware of his team's history. He likely knows of the events from 2021 AFCON and its bitter outcomes. He is determined to prevent any negative patterns from occurring again.