By Richard Avornyotse - GNA Sports Desk
Accra, Jan 28, GNA - Federation of International Football Associations' (FIFA) best rated African team, the Super Eagles of Nigeria will have their fate in the balance when they line up in their green and white jerseys against Benin at the Sekondi Sports Stadium on Tuesday.
This dicey Group B tie will only, in part, determine Nigeria's continued stay in the African Championship as the result of the other group match between Cote d'Ivoire and Mali running simultaneously in Accra, will be vital to the survival of "Giants of Africa" regardless of the score-line in their own match. Having lost against Cote d'Ivoire and drawn against Mali, the Nigerians remain on a solitary point and a victory over Benin can only peg them on four points.
The Nigerians will then be praying for Cote d'Ivoire to beat Mali to keep the Frederic Kanoute inspired side on four points and a goal to their advantage, while the Super go for a harvest against Benin to upstage the Malians.
Thus the Nigerians do not entirely have their fate in their own hands if Didier Drogba and his colleague Elephants decide to stay tamed and allow the Malians to beat them or share honours with them. When that happens, it will be a requiem for the Super Eagles, who will have to catch the next available plane to depart Ghana and face the wrath of their disenchanted countrymen in Africa's most populous country.
The Nigerian performance in the tournament does not in any way reflect the quality of players they registered to make real their belief of winning the continental diadem after every 14 years. That thought will certainly be a mirage if the permutation does not go their way and their array of stars, most of whom, earn mega bucks in England will have to make an early return to the Barclays Premiership to work for their wages.
Berti Vogtts, their German trainer, will most likely field veteran Nwankow Kanu, having said after his teams draw with Mali that he missed the six-foot-three player very dearly in that match. For once in this championship, Obafemi Martins, John Utaka and Yakubu Aiyegbeni should find their scoring boots and bang in the goals, hoping that Cote d'Ivoire will play a comfortable ally by beating Mali. The Eagles should, however, be mindful of the danger those bearing Yoruba names but donning Benin colours might pose to them in this confrontation.
Razack Omotoyossi and Mouritala Ogunbiyi are the pair of attackers Benin would rely upon to compound the problems of the Nigerians. In Accra, the odds favour Cote d'Ivoire but Mali has an arsenal loaded with a variety of ammunition that can blast away any side with destructive consequences.
Real Madrid's Mamadou Diarra, Liverpool's Sissoko and the Serville pair of Frederic Kanoute and Seydou Keita carry good enough credentials to make the duel a 'final before the final' match. The Ivorians have nothing to lose, win or lose, but sheer pride will spark their ambitions into gear and make the game a very competitive one.
Mali needs at least a draw to sail through and could earn that if they adopt a high posture of technical and tactical play. 28 Jan. 08