By Tony Ubani, Abidjan
Super Eagles’ quarter-final battle with Palancras Negras of Angola has been termed ‘a battle of spirits’ outside the field as Nigeria makes bold moves towards winning the fourth African Cup of Nations title in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire.
Ademola Lookman’s brace ensured Nigeria a place in Friday’s Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals as they beat long-standing foes Cameroun 2-0 in the last 16 on Saturday.
Gelson Dala scored twice as Angola beat Namibia 3-0 to face off with Nigeria in the quarter-finals.
More than the above, President General of the Supporters Club, Rafiu Ladipo has urged Nigerians to forget their victory against Cameroun and pray against a potential danger of playing Angola.
‘’Angola is a threat, a big threat. Nigerians should remember that it was against Angola that we lost an illustrious son, Sam Okwaraji. “It’s a match we must win for Okwaraji’’, Ladipo said at the grand Capitol Hotel in the heart of Abidjan.
Okwaraji collapsed 10 minutes from the end of a 1990 World Cup qualifier against Angola in Lagos and died.
He said that the Angolans apart from their strength on the field are going to play other spiritual games before the main game.
The President-General however said that he and his band of supporters were going to neutralize ‘’their little powers’’ as they plan a massive road show to garner support from Ivorians and Nigerians living in Ivory Coast for Eagles as well as hold special prayers to exorcise evil spirits against Nigeria.
‘’A day before the match against Cameroun we held a road show. We plan to do a bigger one tomorrow and next preparatory for the game against Angola. We urge Nigerians to pray for the Eagles. God has always answered our prayers’’.
He said that with every support and the team improving with each game, there’s renewed hope that the Super Eagles are within touching distance of winning their fourth African Cup of Nations in Abidjan.
The Super Eagles presently boast the Africa Player of the Year in Victor Osimhen, and the Super Eagles have more familiarity with the Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny, where they pipped Guinea Bissau 1-0 and Cameroun 2-0.
The match holds at Abidjan’s Stade Félix Houphouet-Boigny stadium on Friday, February 2.