Austin Eguavoen: Nigeria will approach every game like a final

Eguavoen reveals how Super Eagles tamed Mo Salah
Augustine Eguavoen says his team will approach every game at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cameroon like a final.

The Eagles under interim coach Eguavoen recorded a 1-0 victory over the Pharaohs of Egypt in their Group D opener at the tournament on Tuesday at the Roumde Adjia Stadium in Garoua, despite being given little chance of victory.

Leicester City winger Kelechi Iheanacho scored the only goal of the game 30 minutes into the encounter with a sweet left-foot finish.

Speaking after the game, the coach who won the competition in 1994 as a captain, explained that the strategy implemented by his team to win the game was to starve Egypt’s danger man and captain Mohamed Salah of supplies.

“We knew that to win the game and how do we win the game, the process is keeping the ball and then keeping Salah and try to cut him off the game. Yes. We are going to approach every game like it’s a final. So we are going to take it game after game and see where we get to because every team that has come to AFCON should be respected, regardless of the name of the country.

“There are no minnows anymore in football, so if you don’t plan well, you don’t put in the effort, you can be shocked, so I don’t know who is going to win, but we will try in our own way to approach every game with all seriousness,” he said.