Retired Super Eagles defender Nduka Ugbade believes the national team can triumph over Egypt if they ensure they can ensure score stands at 0-0 at the 70th minute mark of their AFCON 2021 clash in Garoua on Tuesday (today).
Both teams last squared off at the AFCON in 2010, with the Pharaohs emerging 3-1 winners but the Eagles will be hoping to hold the seven-time AFCON champions this time around at the Roumdé Adjia Stadium, Garoua.
Egypt captain Mohamed Salah is one of the most feared footballers in world football at the moment, with the Liverpool star commanding a whooping €100m market value and has equally been tormenting defenders across Europe.
But Ugbade, a 1994 AFCON winner himself, gave the Eagles tips on how to beat the Pharaohs.
“The last time we played against Egypt in 2010, they beat us 3-1 in a game we could have won, if not for some minor mistakes. Now let us hope that the present team has changed a little,” Ugbade told The PUNCH.
“I know it’s not going to be easy but the result might favour Nigeria if the game gets to the 70th minute and no team has scored. Surely, Nigeria can score at this period and possibly win the game.”
Also, ex-internationals Friday Ekpo and Godwin Okpara are confident the Eagles defence have what it takes to curtail the firepower of Egyptian forward.
“Salah is a very good footballer but this is the AFCON and the football is different from that played in England and Europe,” Ekpo told The PUNCH.
“I believe Salah can be contained but we also have to be careful of other players we don’t know but I know for sure that it’s going to be a difficult game but I believe we can pull through with a narrow victory.”
Okpara, who represented Nigeria at the 2000 AFCON on home soil, added, “The first game of every competition is very important and if we can win it, other games will become easy.” (Punch)
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