Eagles ready for S/Africa –Onazi Are we sure? ....

Ogenyi Onazi

Despite Super Eagles’ 3-2 defeat to Congo in a 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier on Saturday in Calabar, the team’s midfielder, Ogenyi Onazi, is optimistic that Nigeria will beat South Africa in Cape Town on Wednesday.

The 21-year-old Onazi was out for several weeks after France midfielder Blaise Matuidi caught him on the ankle in a second round match at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, but he recovered on time for the AFCON qualifiers against Congo and South Africa.

The African champions, who are third in Group A, need a win against Bafana Bafana in Cape Town, to brighten their chances and Lazio man, Onazi believes they can triumph against their hosts.

“We are set for our next game and we are optimistic. Matches in Africa are not easy but I believe we can pick all three points in our next game,” Onazi told our correspondent in Calabar after the defeat to Congo.

“Bafana Bafana are a very good side, in fact one of the best teams in Africa and we respect them. But we are going to make sure we do better against them than we did against the Congolese, because that is the only way we can revive our hopes of playing at the Africa Cup of Nations next year.

“We know it’s not going to be easy beating the South Africans, but if Congo can beat us at home, why can’t we beat the South Africans away from home too? There were a lot of away wins in the first game, so we hope to get ours too on Wednesday.”

He described Saturday’s defeat to the Congolese as “shocking”, saying the players had got over the trauma of losing at home. It was the first time the national team would lose a game at the U.J. Esuene Stadium.

The 2013 AFCON winner said, “The result was shocking because we just didn’t know what happened on that day. Things just didn’t work out the way we planned and we struggled for most parts of the game. But that is football and we hope to bounce back on Wednesday.

“Football in Africa these days is so unpredictable. Who will believe that Uganda can hold Ghana to a 1-1 draw in Accra? Botswana and Sierra Leone gave big teams like Tunisia and Cameroon respectively, tough times, away from home. So, we can also do that away from home as well.”

South Africa are top of Group A after they defeated Sudan 3-0 in Omdurman on Friday, while Congo, who play bottom side Sudan next at home, are second.