Owolabi recalls 1980 semifinal clash with Morocco
As the Super Eagles continue their build-up for Wednesday’s semifinal clash with hosts Morocco, in the ongoing 35th Africa Cup of Nations, 1984 AFCON silver medal winner, Paul Okoku, has said that the team’s performance in the tournament should be understood as a foundation rather than a final destination.
Okoku, who was vice-captain of the 1983 U-20 team, the Flying Eagles, the first team to represent Nigeria in a FIFA World Cup competition, spoke yesterday from his base in the United States of America, just as another former Green Eagles winger, Felix Owolabi, recalled his experience in the 1980 AFCON semifinal clash with Morocco.
“On the field, the team has exhibited tactical awareness, mental composure, cohesion, and belief, which are clear indicators of a squad capable of competing at the highest level in Africa,” Okoku told The Guardian.
“Off the field, however, familiar structural weaknesses once again undermined that progress: Unresolved bonuses, delayed allowances, unpaid coaching salaries, the continued neglect of home-based talent, and a tendency to place the burden of failure on players for shortcomings rooted in poor leadership and weak accountability.
“This team’s failure to reach the 2026 World Cup was not a reflection of inadequate quality, effort, or professionalism. Those elements were evident. What was missing was consistency in governance, stability in technical direction, financial discipline, and leadership capable of matching the commitment shown on the pitch. Until these systemic issues are addressed honestly and decisively, Nigeria will continue to fall short of its potential, not for lack of ability, but for lack of structure,” Okoku stated.
For Owolabi, tomorrow’s semifinal clash with Morocco renews the Super Eagles’ AFCON rivalry and memories of one of Nigeria’s most defining football nights, the 1980 semifinal in Lagos.
It was settled by a thunderous strike from the left-back, who was playing for the IICC Shooting Stars.
Forty-six years ago, the then Green Eagles edged Morocco 1- 0 in a titanic semifinal clash at the 12th Africa Cup of Nations, booking a place in the final and setting Nigeria on course for their first continental title.
Speaking with Sports Village Square, Owolabi recalled the heavy odds Nigeria faced against a Moroccan side widely regarded as one of the strongest teams in the tournament.
“Many sports lovers didn’t believe in us beating Morocco because they were a strong force in the championship,” he said. “They came all the way from Group B in Ibadan, and the expectation was that they would overpower us.”
For Owolabi and his teammates, however, the semifinal was about more than a single match. It was driven by years of near-misses and unfinished ambition.
“All the players of our era were bent on making history for ourselves and the nation, having lost out in 1976 and 1978,” Owolabi said. “For us, it was either the cup or nothing more.”
That determination was ultimately expressed in the ninth minute of the match when Owolabi unleashed what he described as a “bullet shot” from 24 metres — a strike that beat the Moroccan goalkeeper and sent the Lagos crowd into rapture.
“Our zeal and ultimate commitment were to go all out and beat Morocco,” he said. “And that is exactly what happened when I scored the only goal to book Nigeria a ticket to the final.”
Nigeria went on to defeat Algeria in the final, lifting the AFCON trophy for the first time and cementing the 1980 team’s place in African football history.
Looking ahead to Wednesday’s clash in Rabat, Owolabi expressed the belief that the current generation can surpass their achievements if they remain focused.
“I believe our boys can do better than what we did,” he said. “Nothing should distract them. All they need to do is go with the philosophy I have always believed in — team spirit, teamwork, discipline and attitude.”
