Habeeb Akinfegbe
In the early hours of today, Dream Team VI defeated Brazil 1-0 in an international friendly played at the Estádio Kléber Andrade to make Nigerians wake up to celebrate Good Friday with a good news. Nigerians are equally looking forward to another good news after the Super Eagles must have defeated the Pharaohs later in the evening to cap the day's celebration.
At the Estádio Kléber Andrade, Ubong Ekpai's third minute strike was all the Dream Team VI needed to subdue Rogerio Micale's wasteful lads in the keenly contested affair in Cariacica, Espírito Santo, Brazil. It was the other encounter between both sides since the semi final of the 96 Olympics where Dream team I defeated a star-studded Brazilian side 4-3 on their way to clinching the Olympic soccer gold. Fast-forward 20 years, Nigeria has completed a double against Brazil sequel to this latest event.
As for the Super Eagles' encounter with the Egyptians in the first of two 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, the Super Eagles face a stiff opposition in the Pharaohs despite playing at home in Kaduna. Egypt have failed to qualify over the last three editions while Nigeria have missed out on two of the last three competitions, making it seem like the Egyptians may want it the most.
Such is the fall from grace that Egyptian football has suffered that their legacy is almost forgotten. Gone are the players from the golden era of Aboutreika and the Hassans, coach Hector Cuper had to call up veteran goalkeeper Essam El Hadary in order to remind the new crop of players about their glorious past.
The Egyptians have less pressure though as they lead Group G with six points, two more than Nigeria who must see this as an opportunity to be in control of their destiny as this is an avenue to steal as much as six points from the Egyptians over the two legs having in mind that Tanzania just levelled up on four points.
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