AFCON:Former Bayelsa FA Vice Chairman Confident of Super Eagles Victory
2 min read
By Sportsgister
Former Vice chairman of the Bayelsa State Football Association, Dr. Laye Julius says he is confident that the Super Eagles of Nigeria will triumph over host, Morocco in the semi-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON.
The Super Eagles of Nigeria battle Morocco in one of the semi-finals of the ongoing AFCON on Wednesday at the 70,000-capacity Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, having defeated Algeria in one of the quarter-final encounters.
Dr Julius in a chat with journalists, said he was pleasantly surprised by the performance of the Super Eagles so far in the tournament, adding that if the team had put up such a performance in the World Cup qualifiers, Nigeria would have qualified ahead of group winners, South Africa.
He urged the team not to be complacent and ensure that they take their chances, and also avoid unnecessary mistakes at the danger zone, stressing that coach Éric Chelle’s coming has instilled confidence in the heart of millions of Nigerians.
The former Bayelsa United Vice chairman opined that with the impeccable performance of the team from the group stage to the quarter-finals he was optimistic that the Super Eagles will go past Morocco in the semi-final to secure a place in the final of the tournament.
Though Moroccan football has improved at both club and national levels, particularly in terms of infrastructure, Dr. Julius believes that the 2013 AFCON champions have all it takes to win the tournament having lost to hosts, Cote d ‘Ivoire in the 2023 edition of the tournament.
According to him, Alex Iwobi is one of the revelations of the tournament with his creativity in the middle of the pack, pointing out that prior to AFCON 2025, Iwobi was one of the most criticized players in the national team but exploiting him in the tournament has changed the narrative for the Super Eagles.
Dr. Julius asserted that it is not only sad but painful that the Super Eagles won’t be participating in the next World Cup despite possessing the best legs on the continent, adding that the world would miss the Super Eagles in the World Cup that would be co-hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States of America.
He commended Morocco for providing Africa the best AFCON with modern sporting facilities in all stadia, urging other African countries to emulate the Maghreb nation.
Sedara Philip is a Sports writer, an administrator,Journalist,and editor
