Minister of Sports, Solomon Dalung, has urged home-based Super Eagles to put in their best at the Championship of African Nations (CHAN) in Rwanda and win the trophy for sports loving Nigerians, especially football fans.
CHAN 2016 kicked off on Saturday, January 16 in Kigali and will end on Sunday, February 7.
The Super Eagles will play their first match on Monday, January 18 at the Stade Régional Nyamirambo, Kigali against Niger Republic.
Dalung said: “We expect them to maintain the tempo of the victory that the players have set during their training sessions; I will be in Rwanda myself to be in solidarity with them and to encourage them.
“So, what I will say will be better said to them directly when I get to Rwanda.
“But sending it in advance will be equivalent to inviting your enemy to inspect your armory before you go to war the following day.’’
Nigeria is in Group C alongside Tunisia, Guinea, and Niger. After the Super Eagles first match on Monday against Niger, the team will on Friday, January 22 take on Tunisia before the last group match against Guinea on Tuesday, January 26.
Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President, Amaju Pinnick, also charged the team not to disappoint Nigerians but to surpass the country’s CHAN record.
“I expect them to continue the success run; I spoke to Oliseh this morning; we talk every day.
“I asked him if there were technical challenges and he said no that the most important thing in the field, which you can quote me, is that the boys are very enthusiastic.
“The boys have seen the run of very successful events in the past and now they are ready to go and glow,’’ Pinnick said.
This is the fourth edition of the biennial international football championship organised by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for the men’s national teams of Africa featuring exclusively players from local leagues.
A total 16 teams are participating in the tournament.
In Group A are hosts, Rwanda, Gabon, Morocco, and Cote d’Ivoire. In Group B are DR Congo, Angola, Cameroon, and Ethiopia.
Nigeria, Tunisia, Guinea, and Niger are in Group C while in Group D has Zimbabwe, Mali, Uganda, and Zambia.
