Quarter Final Fixtures
·
Saturday
25 Jan – Morocco Vs Nigeria 4pm Nigeria
Time Free Stadium Mangung
·
Saturday
25 Jan – Mali Vs Zimbabwe 6.30pm ‘’ Cape Town Stadium
·
Sunday
26 Jan – Gabon Vs Libya 4pm ‘’
Peter Stadium
Polokwane
·
Sunday
26 Jan – Ghana Vs DR Congo 6. 30 pm ‘’ Free
Stadium Mangung
Super Eagles
of Nigeria keep improving in every game at the on going African Nations
Championship (CHAN). After the first match scare, where the Nigerian home based
National team was beaten by Mali 1 goal to 2, the CHAN debutant seem to have
overcome the initial stage fright and is firing with all cylinders now.
Nigeria 3 –
1 emphatic defeat of Bafana-Bafana of South Africa after it first defeated
Mozambique 4 – 2, may have cut the attention of football pundits. Now many of
them are saying the Super Eagles is Favorite to win this edition of the
championship.
Super Eagles
will now play with the Atlas Lions of Morocco in the quarter finals. The match billed
for Saturday, January 25 at Free Stadium Mangung will see both debutantes lock
horns for a place in the Semi finals.
The Atlas
Lions were on the verge of being knocked out, having only 2 points in their draw
with Burkina Faso and Zimbabwe in their first two games. But the north African
side rose up to defeat Uganda 3 – 1 in their last group game. So Morocco
qualified as top in Group B, similar to that of Nigeria which became second in
Group A.
The game
between these two countries is expected to be explosive as both teams dream to
create new record by winning CHAN title on their debut.
Morocco normally
play the fast pace style like most north African teams, but may find it
difficult to match the unusual increasing momentum of this Nigerian side in
this Championship.
Hassan
Benabicha’s side will be hoping to re-enact the quick breaks of Abdesamad
Rafik, Lajour Mouhssine and Abdekhor El Quadi, that got them 3 goals against
the Cranes of Uganda. But the Nigerians are ready to even raise their game
higher and beyond any teams wishful thinking of winning the championship.
The CAF –
African Coach of the Year award winner, Stephen Keshi, seem to understand much
about the north African style of Play and may decide to increase the momentum
of his entire team for the remaining games. He may try to curtail the fast pace
of the Moroccan side by building a block with more players around the midfield
to the defense line; and intermittently use long passes to connect highly mobile
Agbolan Salami and Rabiu Ali up front as well as utilize the quick dashing runs
of Ejike Uzoenyi to counter attack the Atlas Lions
