No other option for Super Eagles

The Nigerian senior national football team are taking on the Syli Nationale  in the  Final Round Group B match of  the qualifiers for the 2012 African Nations Cup. With Guinea on 13 points, three more than Nigeria, the Eagles only need a win to pick the group’s lone automatic ticket to the Nations Cup finals […]

The Nigerian senior national football team are taking on the Syli Nationale  in the  Final Round Group B match of  the qualifiers for the 2012 African Nations Cup.

With Guinea on 13 points, three more than Nigeria, the Eagles only need a win to pick the group’s lone automatic ticket to the Nations Cup finals scheduled for next January.

But in spite of the fact that the job had  been made much easier by the fact that a 1-0 win will suffice for the Eagles to qualify, it is still not going to be smooth-sailing.

Guinea are much aware of the fact that a draw will just be enough for them to fly to Equatorial Guinea and Gabon, and this is what will determine their match tactics.

However, the Eagles seem to also be ready for this, with the seriousness they have attached to this game through their early arrival in camp at Abuja on Monday.

They indeed know what is at stake, judging from what they have promised and the assurances that the early kick-off time of 2 p.m. would not affect their performance.

While both teams have the issue of early kick-off time and the expected hot weather to contend with, other issues will have to come into play.

The issue of who takes the upper hand at the end of the day will no doubt be determined by other factors, with the quality of players and strength of character coming into play.

The Eagles have the edge when it comes to quality of playing personnel, but whether the team now has the strength of character to overcome their opponents is the real question to ponder.

They lost to the Guineans on Oct. 10 in Conakry in the first fixture, but while it does not indicate the Syli  Nationale’s superiority, it still gives them a psychological advantage.

The Eagles played well on that occasion only to lose to a lucky goal at a period of uncertainty in Nigerian football.

Now, if they can just lift their game a little above that performance, they can just get it right on Saturday.

There has been a change in the team since then with slight changes in the coaching and playing personnel, and to their advantage is the fact that they now play more attacking football.

In their first two matches of the qualifiers then, they scored only two goals, while they have scored eight goals in their succeeding four games played under a new coaching crew.

This portends that the Super Eagles have the capabilities to score goals, with Ikechukwu Uche, Osaze Odemwingie, Kalu Uche, Ahmed Musa, Obinna Nsofor and Kingsley Emenike looking to be in good form.

However, with five of Guinea’s 11 goals in the campaign coming from two away games, the Eagles defence have to be wary of counter-attacks which can in the long run prove fatal.

Siasia and his colleagues on the team’s bench, on their part, have the biggest task of ensuring the match goes according to plan and expectations.