Nigeria/South-Africa AFCONqualifier: We cannot afford tobe over-confident —Pinnick

Nigeria/South-Africa AFCONqualifier: We cannot afford tobe over-confident —Pinnick

Source:Tribune

Nigeria Football Federation (NFF)
President, Amaju Melvin Pinnick, observed
on Tuesday that the Super Eagles could
not afford to be over –confident going
into Wednesday’s crucial Cup of Nations
qualifier against South Africa’s Bafana
Bafana.

“Pointe Noire was a bright point for us, no
doubt. We went there with a strong mind
to turn the campaign around and we did
just that. But, there are still 90 minutes to
go in the qualifying race and it is critical
that we maintain focus,” he said.

“The wise guys tell you that it is when a
guy gets too confident that he is wide
open for a sucker punch. I am a strong
optimist and I know that we are as good
as being in the draw for the final
tournament. But, we must keep a level
head for those 90 minutes, maintain focus
and clinically take our chances.”

The two –goal win in Pointe Noire, on
Saturday, means that the African
champions will be eligible to defend their
title in Equatorial Guinea early next year
once they achieve any margin of victory
against group winners South Africa at the
Akwa Ibom International Stadium in Uyo.

However, Pinnick, whose infant regime
(elected into office only seven weeks ago)
has already been blessed with triumph at
the African Women Championship in
Namibia and a landmark passage of the
long–hanging NFF Bill by the National
Assembly, says qualification for the 30th
Africa Cup of Nations is guaranteed, as
the Eagles know what is at stake on
Wednesday.

“I have been speaking with the Head
Coach and some of the players and I
know that they are determined that
nothing will go wrong. We have a way
with South Africa but we will not
underrate them.”

South Africa has never beaten Nigeria in a
competitive senior men’s game, with both
sides finishing 0-0 when they met in Cape
Town in September, he stressed.

Meanwhile, the Bafana Bafana contingent
that flew into Uyo aboard a chartered
flight, on Monday evening, is housed in
the cosy Hotel L’Meridien in the Akwa
Ibom State capital.

The Confederation of African Football has
already fixed the draw ceremony for the
30th Africa Cup of Nations for
Wednesday, December 3, in Malabo.