By Harry Awurumibe, Editor, ABUJA BUREAU
Former Secretary General of Nigeria Football Association (NFA) Alhaji Sani Ahmed Toro has heaped praises on the senior men’s football team of Nigeria Super Eagles for making a podium finish at the 35th African Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament in Morocco.
The three-time AFCON champions defeated the Pharaohs of Egypt 4-2 on penalties in the third-place match held at Mohammed V Stadium in Casablanca to finish third in Africa’s premier football competition and by extension win the Bronze medal of the 2025 edition.
But Toro insists that Super Eagles did well in Morocco despite not qualifying for the final of the competition, saying that having been beaten on penalties by the hosts Morocco in the semi-finals clash, Super Eagles still rose from the ashes of defeat to beat Egypt in the third-place match.
The former Commissioner of Sports in Bauchi State, and one-time member of the House of Representatives, who was the Secretary-General of the then NFA between 1993 and 1999, during the ‘Golden Era’ of Nigeria football, said he was overwhelmed with joy on Saturday after Nigeria defeated Egypt on penalties to win yet another AFCON Bronze medal.
Said he: “Glory be to God for the Super Eagles winning 3rd place (Bronze medal) match in this year’s AFCON. It is not easy to achieve because of the quality of the teams they faced and the standard of the competition. I commend everyone involved, the players, coaches, backroom staff, the football administrators, and everyone involved in the feat the team achieved in Morocco.”
Toro was in charge of the football house when Nigeria won her second AFCON title in 1994 in Tunisia; maiden FIFA World Cup appearance in 1994 in United States of America (USA); Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games where the Dream Team won Gold medal and second FIFA World Cup finals appearance in 1998 in France respectively.
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