• CAF picks all-Cameroon officials for Nigeria, Mambas clash

The Super Eagles have assured Nigerians that they would defeat their Mozambican counterparts in their Round of 16 clash at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations, despite the array of incentives lined up for the Mambas by their government.

The Mozambican government has promised to give each of the Mambas a special bonus of 500,000 meticais (about N11.3 million) if they beat the Super Eagles today.

President Daniel Francisco Chapo said that the money is just one of the good things that would happen to the Mambas if they overcome the Super Eagles, a feat which many believe is beyond the Southern Africans.

The news of the special offer filtered into the Super Eagles camp on Friday evening. And rather than see it as a big motivation for their opponents, the Super Eagles waved it off as a strategy that would not change anything.

“Yes, I heard their President has dangled a special carrot for them to beat us, but that won’t happen,” Super Eagles team Captain Wilfred Ndidi said after their training on Friday. “I agree cash motivation is good for players and officials, but we are determined to get the quarterfinal ticket on Monday.”

Monday’s clash is the sixth time that the Super Eagles will meet Mozambique at the senior level. Of their five previous confrontations, Nigeria have been victorious on four occasions, including their only AFCON encounter way back in Lubango, Angola, in January 2010, in which the Super Eagles, led then by late Coach Shaibu Amodu, ran away with a 3-0 win.

Apart from Ndidi, other members of the team have vowed to enter Monday’s game in Fes as if they are playing in the final.

Striker Victor Osimhen said that the Super Eagles are one of the biggest teams in Africa, and that teams like Mozambique should be shivering ahead of the clash against Nigeria.

The Galatasaray striker believes Nigeria is one of the favourites to win the ongoing AFCON title after coming second in Côte d’Ivoire two years ago.

“We are one of the most feared teams in this tournament. Any team can come and play us. If they are good, they can scale through, but if they are not, we can trample on any team because the Super Eagles has the quality to do damage to any big team in this tournament.

“We respect every team that progresses to the next round, and anyone we meet in the next round, they are going to see the fighting spirit of Nigeria. The round of 16 is going to be even tougher than the group stages, so we are ready to give everything,” Osimhen stated.

Eagles head coach Eric Chelle started Nigeria’s build-up to the knockout encounter last Thursday and ran it through the weekend, sharpening the players’ focus.

Today’s encounter against history-making Mambas (they have reached the knockout stage for the first time-ever) promises a thrilling contest with Coaches Chelle and Chiquinho Conde preferring to keep tactics, strategies and patterns to their chests.

The Mambas, who famously defeated the Panthers of Gabon, despite defeats to Cup-holders Cote d’Ivoire and five-time champions Cameroon in Group F, look like a team capable of upturning apple carts that are not properly positioned.

Conde can bank on defenders Nené, Bruno Langa and Reinildo Mandava to hold the rear tight, and midfielders Domingues (team captain) and João Bonde to feed the foreline of Chamito and Faisal Bangal, and try to catch Nigeria pants down.

Yet, Chelle, who is driven by his own admission of having imbibed the truism that “Nigerians want their team to win every game,” is committed to putting out a structure that will see the Eagles defend with resolution and attack with panache. To Conde, the road to Mozambique’s victory would be by approaching the tie with calmness, humility and belief.

“Nigeria are favourites (to win the match), but let us face the game with humility, tranquillity, and a lot of responsibility.

“We have come to this Round of 16 stage with respect, and now we’re going to show what we can do,” Conde stated. Kick-off is scheduled for 8.00 p.m. today at the Complexe Sportif de Fès, with a place in the quarterfinals at stake.

Meanwhile, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has named an all-Cameroon crew for Monday’s clash with the Mambas of Mozambique. Abdou Abdel Mefire will take charge as centre referee, supported by assistants Elvis Noupoue and Carine Atezambong.