AFCON 2023: Nigeria’s captain, William Troost-Ekong, expresses his anticipation, highlighting that winning the Africa Cup of Nations trophy would not only be a remarkable achievement for him personally but also a moment of immense pride for the entire nation.
The Super Eagles secured their spot in Sunday’s final in Abidjan by defeating South Africa on penalties. They are set to face tournament hosts Ivory Coast at 20:00 GMT.
Nigeria has advanced to their first final since 2013, marking a significant milestone since their third continental title victory in that year.
Centre-back Troost-Ekong expressed;
“Dreaming about moments like that, I’ve envisioned it countless times, closing my eyes. To have the opportunity to be there on Sunday and make it happen will be truly amazing.”
Before the finals, Nigeria wasn’t considered among the top contenders for the trophy, owing to their underwhelming performance in the initial two qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup and their sixth position in Africa according to FIFA’s world rankings.
Despite initial doubts, the Super Eagles have emerged as the top-ranked side in the tournament since the conclusion of the last 16, witnessing the exits of holders Senegal, Morocco, and the record seven-time champions Egypt.
Expressing unwavering confidence, Nigeria manager Jose Peseiro emphasizes his belief in his side, highlighting their status as the top scorers in the qualifying rounds for the finals with an impressive 22 goals.
Portuguese manager Jose Peseiro, in an interview Said, “Upon signing the contract, my goal was clear – to win the Afcon. Whether everyone believed it or not, I have maintained this belief from the outset. As of now, we haven’t won anything, and our focus remains on winning the Afcon.”
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Calvin Bassey hails Nigeria character after ‘crazy’ finish in Afcon 2023
Khuliso Mudau came close to securing victory for South Africa in added time of the second half, leading to a tense 30 minutes of extra time and culminating in Nigeria’s eventual 4-2 triumph on penalties.
“This was a hard one. I think we showed real character,” defender Calvin Bassey said.
“It just shows we could do the dirty work. We just had to keep believing in ourselves.
“[South Africa were] a well-organised team, a quality team. To outdo them on penalties, it’s crazy.
“Kudos to all the boys that stood up and took [a penalty]. It’s not easy to go out there with the pressure and they kept calm.”
Goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali was the hero in the shootout for the Super Eagles, denying Mokoena and Evidence Makgopa before Kelechi Iheanacho netted to clinch victory.
“Seeing myself winning the man of the match (award) and also going to the final is a dream come true to me,” Nwabali, who plays his club football in South Africa, said.
“Credit to my coaches, because when it’s penalty time, they guide me a lot.”
South Africa ‘don’t get support’ back home after Afcon 2023
Following the defeat on penalties, South Africa finds themselves contemplating a missed opportunity to build on their sole continental triumph on home soil in 1996, highlighting a perceived lack of support from their home country.
Bafana Bafana, runners-up two years later and third-place finishers in 2000, made their first semi-final appearance in 24 years during Wednesday’s encounter with Nigeria.
“We’ve fought from the start of the tournament,” defender Aubrey Modiba Said.
“We managed to equalise and take it to extra time, even though towards the end we could have taken our chances that we created.
Modiba represents Pretoria-based Mamelodi Sundowns, the victors of the inaugural African Football League and a club that has significantly contributed to the core of the South Africa squad.
“Even though we’re a bit disappointed, penalties are a lottery. It wasn’t meant to be and you cannot have any regrets.
“Hopefully we can learn from this tournament and continue qualifying for these tournaments. The experience, the exposure, the way everything is done here is a good thing for South African football.”
Modiba represents Pretoria-based Mamelodi Sundowns, the victors of the inaugural African Football League and a club that has significantly contributed to the core of the South Africa squad.
The 28-year-old is optimistic that Bafana Bafana’s performances in Ivory Coast, including a last-16 win over Morocco, will instill belief in the squad’s capabilities back home.
“People outside of South Africa believe in us because they’ve been watching our games, but back home we don’t get the same support – which is something that we are used to now,” he said.
“That’s why we push and we fight, because we know they (the South African public) don’t really believe in us.
“But we’ve got ourselves and people will notice everywhere around the world because they watch the games. I still believe in this team and I think something good is coming out of this team.”
What Next for South Africa?
South Africa is set to face DR Congo in the third-place play-off on Saturday, also in Abidjan, scheduled for 20:00 GMT.
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