Tunde Sulaiman, Ayodeji Fashikun, And Juliana Taiwo
9 February 2004
Tunis, Lagos & Abuja — Okocha to Obasanjo: We'll bring the cup home
Africa Cup of Nations
Nigerian national team, the Super Eagles yesterday in Monastir, Tunisia, dethro-ned African Nations Cup holders Cameroon when they came from a goal down to win 2-1 and reach the semifinals stage of the competition. It was ahe result that elicited wild celebrations on the streets of Lagos, Abuja and other major cities of the country.
But in a telephone conversation with President Olusegun Obasanjo, Eagles captain, Au-gustine 'Jay-Jay' Okocha said the team was prepared to bring the African nations cup back to Nigeria on Saturday when the final match will be played.
In yesterday's match, John Utaka scored the second-half winner in a tough quarter-final tussle between the continent's two footballing superpowers. Nigeria's win sets up another compelling encounter, against tournament hosts Tunisia in the last four on Wednesday.
Utaka's goal came from a telling pass from Nwankwo Kanu. The young attacker placed the ball just wide off the Cameroon goalkeeper and into the net in the 73rd minute for the winner.
Cameroon had opened scoring in the 42nd minute in similar circumstances through Samuel Eto'o, but their lead lasted a few minutes as Nigeria's captain, Okocha, scored another of his trademark free kicks for the halftime equaliser.
Eto'o's goal was a quick counter-attack seconds after Nigerian defender, Joseph Yobo, had gone wide with a lone-range effort at the other end of the pitch. Geremi knocked a long pass into the path of Eto'o, who breezed past central defender, Isaac Okoronkwo, and expertly placed the ball into the net for his first goal of the tournament.
Nigeria drew level just before the interval after being handed a soft free kick on the edge of the area following a tug on the collar of Utaka's shirt by Cameroon defender, Lucien Mettomo.
Okocha's well-established reputation for free kick expertise was given further credence with a curling shot that slammed into the back of the net before Cameroon goalkeeper, Idriss Carlos Kameni, could move.
The two heavyweights provided an absorbing encounter free of the histrionics that overshadowed Saturday's tempestuous quarter-final between Tunisia and Senegal.
Eto'o, one of the favourite to win the African Footballer of the Year award, could have given Cameroon the lead three minutes before Utaka scored.
His quick burst of pace put him clear on goal but he hit his shot straight at Nigeria's goalkeeper, Vincent Enyeama.
After Cameroon were 2-1 down, Eto'o lost a glaring opportunity from Geremi's corner, completely missing the ball with the goal at his mercy.
Eto'o and substitute Pius Ndiefi also went narrowly close in four minutes of stoppage time as Nigeria nervously held on for the win.
Okocha won the man of the match award but it was Yobo's defensive performance that proved decisive. Nigeria last won the Nations Cup in Tunisia 10 years ago and now emerge as favourites to reclaim the African crown.
While speaking with President Obasanjo on phone from the team's base in Monastir, Okocha said the players appreciated the support given to them by the president and all Nigerians. He added that the team was ready to defeat all their remaining opponents.
The president who had earlier congratulated Okocha, members of the team and the Nigeria Football Association asked the captain if he should announce to Nigerians that the Eagles have promised to bring the cup home.
"You can make the announcement, Sir. We will by the grace of God bring the cup back home," Okocha said in the conversation which came up while Obasanjo was holding his monthly presidential media chat monitored on Nigeria Television Authority (NTA).
Obasanjo later congratulated all Nigerians for the Eagles performance against Cameroon and hoped there will be more celebration next Saturday when the final match will be played.
Meanwhile, in Nigeria's commercial nerve centre, Lagos, people went wild yesterday with residents celebrating the Super Eagles victory over the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon. Nigerians in their thousands, took over the hitherto deserted streets in wild jubilation.
As if the celebration had been planned and rehearsed, most of those involved decorated their cars and vans in the national - green - white and green colours and hooted their horns non-stop.
Some other football buffs threw decorum to the winds, flaunting their shirts, flinging same away before perching on their cars' windows and roof tops while driving at top speed. When THISDAYsports visited most parts of Surulere, in Lagos residents converged on street congratulating one another over the victory which most of them described as "sweet revenge".
Also, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), erupted in jubilation after the victory.
The match which had dominated discussion even in Churches with pastors expressing their confidence that the jinx would be broken, had many Abuja residents betting that Nigeria was going to give the Cameroonians the knocks once and for all.
But after Cameroon's goal through Eto'o, disappointments and fears were written on the faces of fans as they expressed doubts that Nigeria could equalise.
Okocha's free-kick which levelled the score lines was all the fans needed to fly again. The streets of Abuja went up in jubilation after the Moroccan referee Guezzaz Mohammed, blew the whistle signalling the end of the match. Many took up cans and bottles as instruments, singing and dancing.
Commercial drivers and private car owners were not left out of the jubilation as their car horns formed their own instrument in the celebration.
As at press time, celebrations continued late into the night in most parts of the city. Operators of relaxation centres and beer parlours were completely overwhelmed as Lagosians continued their patronage till wee hours of this morning.
At the National Stadium Surulere, the Guinness viewing centre witnessed a rancorous situation as Lagosians treated themselves to endless partying as supplied by Guinness via a public address system.
In reaction to the result, Senate President Adolphus Wabara, in Abuja applauded the Super Eagles over their defeat of the Indomi-table Lions of Cameroon and their qualification for the semi-final.
In a statement by Wabara's Chief Press Secretary, Henry Ugbolue, the Senate President said the victory has shown that the Eagles are fully equipped and ready to win and bring home the Nations' Cup.
Wabara particularly commended the team Captain Okocha for his exemplary conduct in the championship. He noted that his expertise at set pieces brought Nigeria back to the game having conceded a goal to the Cameroonians.
In a chat, President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Dan Ngerem eulogised the team saying "they have what it takes to win the trophy. I can assure you that Christian Chukwu is steadily working towards winning the trophy. We saw a team that was hungry and determined and they did it for Nigeria. Let's hope it is the beginning of our journey towards winning the cup after ten years".
Former chairman of Kano Pillars FC of Kano, Alhaji Garba Bello Kankarofi said he was not surprised at the result. He said" I predicted before the match that Nigeria would overrun Cameroon. When I listened to Christian Chukwu and captain Austin Okocha on their feelings about the match, I was convinced that it was going to be a different ball game. Okocha spoke with so much passion and confidence that I concluded that the Cameroonians were in trouble. On the other hand, Chukwu said he had the game plan to beat them and that was exactly what he did. So, congratulations to the boys and congratulations Nigeria".
Kwara United Football Club of Ilorin foreign technical adviser, Kosta Papic said in a telephone interview, "I told you that the Nigerians are too good to lose to the Cameroonians. I told you the last time that the Cameroonians are not too excellent. They are lucky to have escaped from a heavy defeat in the hands of the Nigerians. I hope to see the Nigerians come back to Lagos with the trophy. Every match should be handled with respect to their opponents. Pity Tunisia is meeting the Eagles."
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