Ibrahim Muhammed, who is the chairman of the non-governmental organization 100 Percent Focus Nigeria, has issued a rallying call to the Super Eagles ahead of their crucial semi-final clash against South Africa in the ongoing 2023 African Cup of Nations, which will take place in Boake, Cote d’Ivoire, today.
Muhammed emphasized the power of football as a unifying force for Nigerians, transcending ethnic, tribal, and religious divides. He particularly highlighted the national team’s impressive performance in the ongoing AFCON and urged the Eagles to harness the magic of the game and give their best in the upcoming match.
The NGO, 100 Percent Focus Nigeria, is dedicated to mobilizing Nigerians to rebuild the nation through their passion, love, support, and accountability towards the government. The organization stands firmly behind the team and is fully committed to supporting them in any way possible.
“I implore the Eagles to approach this match with the mindset of a final and exert their utmost effort to secure victory and advance to the final,” Muhammed stated. “We must not become complacent simply because we have historically outperformed South Africa despite their local league boasting superior organization, infrastructure, publicity, and public support compared to ours. We always do better than them maybe because we have players that play in leagues across the world and are technically better but we still cannot afford to underestimate them today.”
He emphasized the importance of key players like Victor Osimhen stepping up and delivering goals but also highlighted the collective responsibility of the entire team. “Our defence is solid, but we must avoid a penalty shootout scenario. Instead, we should aim to secure an early lead and capitalize on scoring opportunities as the South African goalkeeper is highly talented, we saw the way he stopped about four penalties against DR Congo to lead his team into the semifinal,” he said.
Muhammed expressed his desire for Nigeria to unite in celebration of a victory in the semi-final, acknowledging the significance of reaching the final while also recognizing that the ultimate outcome of the tournament is secondary to the unity and pride it instils in the nation.
