Former Super Eagles midfielder Mutiu Adepoju in an exclusive interview with Footy-Africa pointed that Nigeria have all it takes to reach the final of the Africa Cup of Nations, but has stressed that the team must maintain the momentum they have built so far in the tournament.
Nigeria cruised to a convincing 4-0 victory over Mozambique in the Round of 16 on Monday night, recording their fourth straight win of the competition.
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Adepoju, a key member of the Nigerian side that lifted the AFCON trophy in 1994, admitted he was impressed by the manner of the win over Mozambique but urged the players to remain grounded as the stakes rise.
“Yeah, it was a very good win and I would rather say it was a statement win. They really played very well and got the goals, which is what has been expected throughout this tournament,” Adepoju exclusively told Footy-Africa.
“We have been improving game by game and I just hope that the improvement will continue in the quarter-finals. I mean, it was tremendous and the play was good. Yes, it was total dominance from the Super Eagles over the Mozambicans. It was a very good win.”
However, the former Real Sociedad midfielder cautioned that tougher tests lie ahead, starting with Algeria, who are renowned for their tactical discipline and experience at this level.
“Hopefully, we will be able to replicate the same performance against Algeria, who will be another difficult side,” Adepoju added.
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“I hope the boys can do what they did on Monday. They can win the trophy, but they have to keep the momentum going.”
The Super Eagles have been in free-scoring form, netting 12 goals so far at the tournament — the highest tally by any team — and will now turn their attention to a blockbuster quarter-final clash against Algeria.
Nigeria will face Algeria at the Marrakesh Stadium on Saturday for a place in the semi-finals, after the North Africans edged past the Democratic Republic of Congo 1-0 in their own Round of 16 encounter.
