Sunday Oliseh shares insight into Super Eagles AFCON success
Former Nigeria international Sunday Oliseh shared insights into the Super Eagles’ success at the ongoing AFCON in Côte d’Ivoire, particularly highlighting their impressive defensive performance.
Despite a shaky start with a 1-1 draw against Equatorial Guinea, the Super Eagles have since secured four consecutive wins, with a notable achievement of not conceding a single goal.
Oliseh, in an interview on Channels Television, pointed out the team’s compactness and the effectiveness of the central defensive midfielders in winning the ball.
He emphasized that this strategy has made it challenging for opponents to breach the Super Eagles’ central defense.
The former AFCON 1994 winner commended the players for their contributions to Nigeria’s success.
Semi Ajayi, in particular, received praise from Oliseh for his outstanding performance in the tournament. Ajayi is the only player in the Eagles squad to have played every minute in Côte d’Ivoire, playing a crucial role in the team’s four straight clean sheets.
“People are forgetting that Ajayi is doing great work at the back. The man is quiet, but he’s doing his job,” Oliseh stated, acknowledging the silent yet impactful contributions of the defender.
With their impressive run, the Super Eagles have become hot favorites to clinch the AFCON title. They secured victories against host nation Côte d’Ivoire and traditional rivals Cameroon’s Indomitable Lions in the lead-up to the semi-finals.
The Super Eagles are set to face South Africa in the semi-finals, marking the fourth meeting between the two teams at the AFCON.
Nigeria has claimed victories in all three previous clashes, adding anticipation to the upcoming fixture. The semi-final clash is scheduled to take place on Wednesday in Bouake.
