All eyes are on former English
Premier League forward Odion Ighalo as the Super Eagles battle South Africa for
a semi-final place in the African Cup of Nations in Egypt.
Bets are on the striker as the
one who can burst the South African bubble when the countries clash Wednesday
in the quarter-final in Cairo.
The 30-year-old, who played for
Watford before moving to China two years ago, has scored three goals at the
African football showpiece in Egypt.
That tally gives him a share of
the lead in the Golden Boot race with Senegalese Sadio Mane, Congolese Cedric
Bakambu and Algerian Adam Ounas.
Two of his goals came in the 3-2
second round defeat of defending champions Cameroon, and he could have finished
with four having hit the woodwork and been foiled by a superb save.
A few hours after Nigeria
triumphed last Saturday, South Africa stunned hosts and pre-tournament
favourites Egypt 1-0 in Cairo with Thembinkosi Lorch snatching a late winner.
Most South Africans had written
off Bafana Bafana (The Boys) after a dismal one-win group campaign and were
discussing who should replace unpopular coach Stuart Baxter.
If Nigeria and South Africa can
replicate their last-16 form, a titanic struggle for supremacy is on the cards
at the Cairo International Stadium.
Ighalo said the 2-0 group stage
loss to outsiders Madagascar was a massive wake-up call that worked in favour
of the Super Eagles.
“Any thoughts we had of an easy
passage to the closing stages vanished after that defeat. We realised that many
teams were motivated by playing Nigeria and raised their game against us.
“While I have enjoyed scoring
three times in Egypt, it is irrelevant who puts the ball in the net as long as
he is a Nigerian.
“We want to win the title a
fourth time, but South Africa also want to get their hands on the trophy, as do
all the other title contenders.”
South Africa have consistently
battled against Nigeria, with a shock 2019 Cup of Nations qualifying triumph in
Uyo their lone competitive victory over them.
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