Austine Eguavoen has warned that the Super Eagles round of 16 fixture against Tunisia on Sunday will be a different ball game.
The Eagles qualified for the round of 16 with 100 per cent record in the group stage.
However, Tunisia lost two of their three group fixtures and finished as one of the third best placed teams to qualify for the round of 16.
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And speaking ahead of Sunday’s knockout game, Eguavoen stated that the Eagles must be at their best to overcome the 2004 AFCON winners.
“Congratulations to our team now it’s clear we are playing against Tunisia which is another North African strong team,” he said on NFF TV.
“We will continue to work hard like we’ve always done, same approach same determination tactics might differ a little bit so we are ready. Yesterday (Thursday) we did a little bit of recovery training so today (Friday) we will start on how to approach Tunisia.
“They (Tunisia) had ups and downs in their first game which ended in dramatic fashion, they’ve lost two penalties, lost two games as well in open play, yesterday they lost narrowly towards the end of the game.
“For them having qualified for the knockout stage its going to be a different ball game because round of 16 if you don’t get it you are off and if you get it you are through to the quarter-finals.
“It’s going to be a very different game because they are technically very good and they are fast as well, typical North African team. So we will find a way to see how to counter them and come top at the end of the day.”
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Next 2 games are very important, if we can win then we can start dreaming of the cup God’s willing we will sail through, fight on eagles spread your wings and fly higher…..
Good luck coach Eguavoen as you add Tunisia to the dustbin. So far, 3/7 and hopefully by Sunday e go be 4/7. Ride on Super Eagles.
It’s our own Egua that’s sending warning so while some are still labouring to be added from behind, very funny.
My advice for Eguavoen is to ensure prolific players are selected for the all important match.
Keeper: Uzoho
Defenders: Ekong, Omerua, zaidu, Aina
Mid fielders: Aribo, Ndidi, Iheanacho
Forwards: Awoniyi, Moses and Chukwueze.
Good luck coachie, God bless Nigeria.
Just wondering . . . maybe you’re right about Uzoho.
Honestly, I’m not sure who’s better between Uzoho and Okoye but one of them must be #1. They seem to be of equal height and ability.
Good luck SE.
Nigeria is having the toughest of the draws and Cameroon is having the easiest. They are the host and so it’s well arranged. I still believe Tunisia is better draw than Gambia. These Gambians are hot. Infact there’s no easy team among the 16 remaining. Maybe Comoros. But even at that Cameroon should be very careful. The Tunisians may like to prove us wrong that they are underdog. So the Eagles need to be on top of their game. The team used to execute the first two matches should be used. Undiluted. Iwobi Alex and Sadiq have no place in the team for now. This is knocked-out-and-go-home time. No experiment here. Top players for tough gamed.
so the coach that is using iwobi and sadiq knows nothing right ? or u know more than the coach
God bless Nigeria.
You think Cameroon getting Comoros is planned?
Let me remind you Cameroonians thought they’ll play Ghana before Ghana lost to Comoros.
I’ve watched Tunisia play kazri is the danger man.
God bless Nigerians.
With Nigerians, no agitations. Up SE!!!
Na Nigeria we pledge our loyalty to ojare.
I watched the second half of the Gambia vs Tunisia game and I must confess Tunisia deserve to lose the game.. I just checked the match statistics and Tunisia had more ball possession which made me more surprise, I don’t understand how they calculate these things but Tunisia is really very poor in this tournament. We would beat them silly if we play our normal game.. it seems Tunisia is badly affected by covid as they had just 3 players on their bench. I pray it stays that way for them
And God bless Nigerians.
Even more, Tunisia has fear factor inflicted on them by Gambia. When they meet with the super eagle they may think it is Gambia again. So they are weak now.
God bless Nigeria
@Kenny d, agitation is courtmashalled, suppressed for now. But seriously, Tunisia no reach anything. Go SE nobody is holding you.
God bless the Super Eagles of Nigeria.
Kojo, you are 100% correct. When they Tunisia approach the Super Eagles, they may feel it is Gambia again. This fear factor may not allow them to play. We need to attack them like BEES and wear them out with running. Show them Ajegunle street soccer. I need every player to become a dribbler with the ball when we are in possession. Remember, this was what made the 1994 team great! All the players then were excellent dribblers, defenders, headers, and sharp shooters. Even, you may notice that from the goalkeeper Peter Rufai, which in some occasions he puts the ball on the field on attempt to dribble strikers.
“I bleed green”! Super Eagles will fly over Carthage Eagles on Sunday by God’s grace. If Tunisia don’t raise their game against Nigeria, it will be their worst outing in AFCON. Super Eagles will be ruthless at this knockout stage.
Am sorry to say this Watford and Denis must be regretting their decision to disgrace Nigeria by not releasing Denis. Denis has been a shadow of himself and things are not working well for him . I pray his case will not be like IGHALO that reigned for a season with Watford and suddenly went off. This is why it’s always good to honor National Duty perhaps he would not be in this mess . Then I noticed their defense is suddenly collapsing could it be due to unavailability of our Captain. Anyway I wish him and the club well , now I know Denis will need Nigeria more now so that he won’t go down with Watford in case they are relegated
That’s very true my brother, Karma is a bitch and doesn’t waste time to catch up on any erring individual. Dennis has been poor ever since he snubbed Nigeria for Watford, he was even red-carded tonight and so will miss their next fixture. He really need a good adviser if he ever wants to succeed in life, who rejects his own country for a rubbish club like Watford?
If I was the coach, he will never smell an invitation letter to camp for the rest of his career
SE is doing well without him while Watford is sinking with him in their line up, shame on him
That was how Osaze Odemwinge missed out on the only chance for him to win an AFCON gold in 2013 and his career took a downward trend from then on until he retired prematurely
Yes, he thought we are going to be devoured by Egypt and be humiliated out of Cameroon. He told Watford not to release him and pretended it was their decision. Ok, he is enjoying Watford right now. He is going down the drain with that club since he loves them.
@Friday Kojo, I didn’t even see the obvious courtmashall but I tell you Nigeria comes first. Good luck S.E is also part of our post.
God bless Nigeria!!!
God bless Nigerians is clear show of loyalty.
By the way @Friday Kojo, where do you want S.E to go-to since no one is holding them down? Good luck lads!
Fred Ebohi, Iheanacho is better as a midfielder than a Forward. I like as the coach is playing him.
SE will beat Tunisia on Sunday and I am so sure about it as these are my reasons for making such a bold statement.
1) SE is the only team in the Afcon that has not conceded a goal from open play while Tunisia has conceded 2 goals from open play.
2) SE has scored against all it’s opponents so far in the Afcon while Tunisia has scored against only one opponent which is poor Mauritius.
3) SE is playing on its home turf in Garouha because they have played all their games there and the home fans are behind them unlike Tunisia.
4) SE has scored first in all the matches they have played so far and Tunisia has not conceded first and won the same game in this Afcon so far.
5) SE plays the best Brand of football in the Afcon with a very devastating counter attack while Tunisia plays possessive football that in very vonulrable to counter attacks.
6) SE has the compliment of their full squad while Tunisia has alot of absentees for the game due to Corona virus.
7) SE has beaten a North African team already in this Afcon while Tunisia has been beaten by 2 west African countries already in this Afcon.
You see it will take a very big miracle for Tunisia to spring an upset on Sunday except SE experience a very drastic and unexplainable lose of form within this few days to the match……… Tunisia does not stand a chance against SE and you can take my word to the bank.
Great work. I agree with you bcos I know for sure, we are beating Tunisia convincingly.
Please work on the players to convert the chances that come their way! That is the only significant problem with this team. Not just the forwards, every player. And practice penalty kicks just in case. We should be able to handle business within 90 mins, but you never know.
Eguavoen must train Super Eagles players for how to catch the chances for scoring goals, how can finish an attack, espacially Awoniyi and Iheancho and Joe Aribo who is a creative player on attack; the finishing must be on ground with easy kick by abdomen of foot, not with mouth of foot which make the ball flying highly over goal bar.