Former Super Eagles striker, John Zaki has called on Nigerian football fans not to castigate the present Super Eagles as he said they still stand a chance of atoning for their 'sins' at the ongoing 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa.

Most Nigerian football fans have not hidden disappointment following the team's two draws at the Nations Cup and have even called for the sack of Chief Coach Stephen Keshi and members of his coaching crew.

Speaking to Daily Trust yesterday, the former Africa Champions League winner with Asec Mimosa of Cote d'Ivoire said the Eagles have not lived up to the expectations of Nigerian football fans but that is not enough for them to be so castigated.

He said it is not the intention of the players to cause Nigerian fans the pains they have been made to go through but in football, things sometimes may not work out.

Zaki said "I want to plead with Nigerians to be patient with the Eagles. We don't have to castigate the team. It will rather pile up the pressure on the players. Instead of castigating them, let's give more support to the team with the belief that they will pick up their form and deliver.

"No team goes into a championship to play lose. It is not deliberate that the Eagles are not winning. Let us wait and see what happens as the competition progresses".

Zaki therefore called on the Super Eagles players to redeem their image with a resounding victory over Ethiopia as he said it will be most embarrassing if the Eagles fail to qualify for the quarter-final.