A football administrator, Ebere Amaraizu, says the Super Eagles displayed Nigerian fighting spirit in defeating the Pharaohs of Egypt at the ongoing 2021 African Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Amaraizu, who is a Director in the Nigerian Nationwide League One (NLO), told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu on Tuesday that the Super Eagles have started on “a good footing”.
NAN reports that the match ended 1 – 0 in favour of the Super Eagles; through a goal scored at the 30th minute of play by its forward, Kelechi Iheanacho.
Amaraizu urged the Super Eagles not to lose focus on more games ahead.
“The Super Eagles have made our day as Nigerians. We congratulate them and other fellow Nigerians.
“In the match, the national team displayed the Nigerian spirit of not ever giving up and we are proud of them.
“However, it is not yet uhuru for a wide spread celebration since we have lots of matches ahead and this is only the first match.
“They should put more seriousness in other upcoming matches and study the just-concluded first match to see areas of improvement,” he said.
Amaraizu, who is in charge of NLO activities in the South-East, also cautioned the Super Eagles against complacency in their other group matches.
“Every match in this tournament worth all the seriousness it deserves as no national team that qualified at this continental stage is a push over,” he added.
The 2021 AFCON tournament kicked off on Sunday, Jan. 9 in Cameroon and the Super Eagles had been drawn in Group D alongside Egypt, Guinea Bissau and Sudan.
Nigeria have won the tournament on three occasion – in 1980, 1994 and 2013.