History book: 10-years since Sunday Mba fired Nigeria to 2013 AFCON glory

The History book crowns Febuary 10, 2023 as the 10th year since Sunday Mba immaculately fired Nigeria to AFCON glory on February 10, 2013.

A beautiful Sunday it was for Sunday Mba and the entire Nigerian nation following a third AFCON title win.

Burkina Faso were Nigeria’s opponents in the final game of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations tournament in South Africa.

A scoreless 40 minute of football came alive with a brilliant individual effort from the then Warri Wolves star.

Victor Moses had a fierce shot blocked by the Burkina Faso defence before Mba pounced on the ball, flicked it past a defender before slamming past the opposition goalkeeper.

For Sunday Mba, late Stephen Keshi and the entire Super Eagles squad, that goal became the key to gold as the Eagles held on to seal a 1-0 final score.

The end to Nigeria’s 19-year wait for a 3rd AFCON title it was and retribution for a team hailed as talented but underachieving.

Infact, not many rated the Eagles highly until they defeated Ivory Coast—the most formidable team in the group stage and one of Africa’s finest sides in the quater-final.

The team will comfortably run over Mali 4-1 in the semi-final to set-up a date with hard-fighting Burkina Faso in the final.

Nigeria Head Coach Stephen Keshi of blessed memory wrote history, becoming one of only two people, along with Egypt’s Mahmoud El-Gohary, to have won the Afcon title as both a player and a coach as the Super Eagles beat the Stallions 1-0 in the final at FNB Stadium in Johannesburg.

Febuary 10, 2013 was a day of joy for Nigeria. 10-years after, this is something to remember.