The bonus galore will see each player bag at least $65,000 extra should they win the trophy but the Super Eagles must first take care of Ivory Coast in one of two West African derbies that promise to generate fireworks on Sunday.
Having already each received $30,000 for making the knock-out stages of the competition, the Super Eagles will each receive $15,000 if they beat Cote d’Ivoire and qualify for the semi-final of the 2013 AFCON on Sunday. The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) disclosed that each player will earn $20,000 if they triumph in the semi-final. For victory in the finals on February 10 at the National Stadium in Johannesburg, each player will pocket another $30,000.
Guinness, the official sponsor of the Super Eagles has also made a financial commitment for goals scored at the AFCON 2013, while the Eagles are also expecting Nigeria’s richest man; billionaire business magnate, Alhadji Aliko Dangote to reach into his deep pockets after they reached the last eight. Each player received about $80,000 when Nigeria finished third at the 2010 Nations Cup in Angola.
The game against Ivory Coast will be tough, but the Super Eagles must rise up to the challenge and take their chances which will be few against an Ivorian side bookmakers consider the tournament favorites featuring an armada of stars like Didier Drogba, Gervinho, Yaya Toure, amongst others.
The quarter-finals which begin on Saturday features eight teams; seven from West Africa – Nigeria, Ivory Coast; Burkina Faso, Togo; Ghana, Cape Verde and Mali; signaling a profound domination of the 2013 edition of the tournament by West Africa. After sending the North and East Africans packing, the only outsider is the host, South Africa who play Mali in the quarter-finals. Should the Bafana Bafana lose, the semi-finals and finals will be an all-West African affair.
Ahead of Sunday’s crucial match-up, the inability to finish off teams is something Keshi has to work on in the locker room. The Eagles failed to close out their first two games from a winning position; snatching a draw from the jaws of victory against Burkina Faso who equalized with the last kick of the game to rescue a point in their opening group match. Even if the Eagles take the lead, the Ivorians will always feel there is the opportunity for a late equalizer or winner, since Nigeria has conceded late goals toward the end of their first two games.
It’s important that the Super Eagles take their opportunities, especially when facing the 1992 African champions; unarguably the dream team of the tournament. Coach Stephen Keshi needs to encourage a free-scoring tendency especially from dead ball situations like spot kicks and corner kicks because the midfield is going to be very tight in open play, so the Ivorians will be hoping to catch the Eagles napping and hit them at the break with a counter-attack.
The Elephants played to a 2-2 draw against Algeria in their last group match on Wednesday night, a match which proved to be a tough test for the Group D winners as they had to come back from being two goals down. That should tell Keshi something about the character of the Ivorian team who came back twice to beat Senegal (4-2) in the final round of qualifying matches.
Victor Moses was the hero of the day when the Eagles booked their place in the quarter-finals as he won and converted the two penalties that won the game. But that should not make him the choice penalty taker in the team. Keshi should work this out during training sessions to be ready for the eventuality of a penalty shoot-out which is mentally and psychologically draining.
However, regardless of the decision by the Egyptian referee following the controversial penalty call that gave Zambia the late equalizer against Nigeria in their second group match, the fact remains that the referee didn’t make John Obi Mikel miss the penalty, which his body language showed that he was ill-prepared to take the shot.
It was a tactical error for Mikel, who has never scored in 261 Premier League appearances for Chelsea, stepping up to take the spot kick. He hasn’t been the best option for Nigeria in this tournament, and he was obviously the wrong choice for the task. Keshi ought to have known better!
Against the Elephants of Ivory Coast, has to prove that they can dominate a game, not just put in a patchy performance and expect to win as they did against Ethiopia. Obi Mikel, despite his problems finding the net, should be shore up the midfield and control possession through the middle.
Cote d’Ivoire will be looking for its third straight win over Nigeria at the Africa Cup of Nations after beating the Super Eagles (1-0) in 2006, with Didier Drogba scoring the only goal, while Salomon Kalou secured another (1-0) win two years later.
On Sunday afternoon at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg, the Eagles face 1992 champions Ivory Coast. The winners of this match-up will clash with the winners of the quarter-final between hosts South Africa and Mali; less fancied opponents which gives the Eagles a better shot at the finals should they overcome the Ivorians who will be a hard nut to crack.
