Coach Audu Ejo Adamu on Wednesday evening declared that the target of his Supersand Eagles at the CAF Beach Soccer Cup of Nations is the trophy, and not just the ticket to the FIFA World Cup which they secured on Wednesday afternoon.
“We came here to go all the way, by qualifying for the World Cup and winning the Africa Cup. We have achieved one of our objectives; the other is pending on Friday.
“I am happy that these boys did the nation proud by staying calm and then going hard when necessary to get the World Cup ticket. Now that we have qualified for the World Cup, we will be relaxed to play the final with huge confidence.”
The Supersand Eagles edged hosts Egypt 7-6 in one of the most entertaining games of the tournament so far, in Sharm El Sheikh, to grab one of Africa’s two tickets to the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in Paraguay next year. Veteran Abu Azeez scored four of the goals, to take his Nigerian tally to 103. Emeka Ogbonna netted twice and Taiwo Adams got one.
It means Azeez now has seven goals at the ongoing championship, while Ogbonna and Adams have four each.
The Nigerian boys now await the winner of Thursday’s second semi final (between Senegal and Morocco) in Friday afternoon’s final match.
In their first match of the tournament, the Supersand Eagles tied 4-4 with Senegal in regulation and extra time, before losing 0-2 on penalty shoot –out to the four –time African champions.
Victory for the Supersand Eagles on Friday would mean a second AFCON trophy for Nigeria within 13 days, following the Super Falcons’ success at the Women AFCON championship in Ghana.
