By Adebayo Abubakar
The Nigeria’s Pillar of Sports, Chief Donatus Agu-Ejidike JP has commended the Super Eagles of Nigeria, over the results recorded in the first two matches in the AFCON 2025 Qualifiers during the current FIFA international break.
The commendation was contained in a press release, signed by the Chairman, Office of the Nigeria’s Pillar of Sports (ONPS) Prince Ajide Olayioye, and made available to news on Tuesday.
The Augustine Eguavoen-tutored side defeated Benin Republic, 3-0 in Uyo last Saturday, but was frustrated by a stubborn Amavubi of Rwanda in a match Day-2 that ended 0-0, at the Amahoro stadium in Kigali on Tuesday. That means the Super Eagles sit atop the group table with 4 points.
Ejidike who expressed satisfaction over the results said, even though, Nigerians would have loved the Eagles to win the two matches outright, believes that a win and a draw is not a bad result, considering the circumstances surrounding the team’s preparation in the run up to the matches.
It would be recalled that the coaching position of the senior national team was vacant, following the sudden resignation by coach Finidi George, back in June.
But, less than a week to the match, following the dramatic rejection of contract offer from the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) by German coach, Bruno Labbadia, Eguavoen who doubles as the head the technical department of the NFF, was announced as the one to act in an interim capacity.
But despite the initial uncertainty, Eguavoen was still able to package a team that gave Nigeria decent results.
The patron of the Nigerian Football Supporters Club commends the players and the technical crew for being able to put up such solid performances, in spite of the shenanigans of the past two weeks.
He, however enjoins football fans and stakeholders in the country to rally round the team to ensure that they complete the current process of turnaround that the team just started with the arrival of coach Eguavoen.
That, according to the Nnewi-born Sports philanthropist, would restore Nigeria to its prime of place as football power house, not only in Africa, but also in the world.
He equally urged the players as well as the technical crew not to be distracted, but to keep their eyes on the ball, as tougher games lie ahead, especially the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, where Nigeria is currently second from the bottom of the group’s table.
