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Benedict Akwuegbu squatting first left with the 2000 Super Eagles team
By Danusa Ocholi
A former Nigerian international and member of the country’s 2000 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), silver-winning team, Benedict Akwuegbu, has tipped the present Super Eagles campaigning for the continental championship in Cameroon “to go far in the competition, and possibly win the Cup.”
Akwuegbu expressed confidence that the Nigerians will prevail over Tunisia when the two sides clash in the round of 16 on Sunday in Garoua.
The former international said in an exclusive interview with our correspondent: “I have no doubt in my mind; the present Eagles can prevail over any team in the competition, even in the face of upsets being recorded by the so-called small teams against the giants of the game.”
Akwuegu who is nicknamed the “Austrian Bomber” as a result of his goal-scoring prowess, hailed Coach Austin Eguavoen for building one of the most potent teams in the tournament so far, even within a very short time.
He added: ”Eguavoen succeeded in assembling a team that is so cohesive, that can attack with tremendous vision, and defend with so much strength. The attacking flair is a delight to watch, and above all they are the only side that won all their matches at the group stage, scoring six goals and conceding only one.”
Akwuegbu an AFCON veteran with silver and bronze medals to his credit urged the national team to remain focused until they win the Cup.
“These Eagles are capable of winning the Cup, and undoubtedly, they are the best team so far in the champoiship.They play like the typical Nigeria team with flair in all departments of the game.” Akwuegbu was a member of the 2000 Super Eagles that had players like Austin Jay Jay Okocha, Nwankwo Kanu, Victor Ikpeba, Finidih George, Tijani Babangida, Garba Lawal, Julius Aghahowa, which reached the AFCON final but lost in a controversial penalty shoot out to Cameroon as a result of misjudgment over the goal scored by Ikpeba which was wrongly nullified.
