Football enthusiasts in Enugu on Tuesday hailed the performance of the Super Eagles of Nigeria at the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cameroon, which got underway on Sunday.
However, the Super Eagles squared up with their Egyptian counterparts on Tuesday and the match ended 1–0 in favour of the Eagles, courtesy of a 30th-minute goal by Kelechi Iheanacho.
Meanwhile, the coach of FC Star Plus, a local clubside in Enugu, Anistar Izuikem, said that the Nigerian players were full of energy which made it difficult for their opponents to cope.
Izuikem expressed optimism that the team, though young, would go far in the tournament if they continued to play at such level.
With the young energetic players assembled by Coach Augustine Eguavoen and good team selection, the Eagles will go a long way.
Also, the Chairman, Enugu State Grassroots Football Association, Christian Oduma, who described the Pharoahs of Egypt as a tough team, said that the Super Eagles gave a good account of themselves.
Oduma said that such performance against a team that paraded a star player like Mohammed Sala showed that the Eagles are prepared for the tournament.
“The match was not an easy one and with this win, the Eagles have overcome group stage pressure. However, they need to play other matches with the same determination, confidence and team spirit,” Oduma said.
Also, Rangers International FC Media Officer, Norbert Okolie, said that the Eagles had crossed the first hurdle.
Okolie charged the Eagles to approach their two remaining group matches against Sudan and Guinea Bissau with the same spirit.
