...Team arrives in Salvador President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Alhaji Aminu Maigari, has charged the Super Eagles to forget Monday's 6-1 thrashing of Tahiti and focus on tomorrow's clash with South American champions, Uruguay, in the ongoing FIFA Confederations Cup tournament in Brazil.
"The Eagles have started well, and they are perching on top of the table as expected. We believe they have the strength and the savvy to go all the way and do our country and Africa proud.
"I want them to forget about the win over Tahiti and appreciate that Uruguay is a different ball game. They should work very hard and come out on top on Thursday," Maigari said as the Eagles arrived in Salvador, north-eastern Brazil yesterday afternoon ahead of their muchhyped clash with Uruguay.
Salvador, the capital of Bahia State, is home to about 2.7 million people and is Brazil's third most populous city. It was Brazil's first capital city until 1763. It is also regarded as the black capital of Latin America, as more than 80 per cent of its inhabitants are of African descent.
In other words, Eagles will not lack support inside the renovated Arena Fonte Nova when they clash with the Uruguayans starting from 7pm Brazil time (11pm Nigeria time) on Thursday.
Nigeria is majestically topping Group B after the 6-1 trouncing of Tahiti in Belo Horizonte on Monday night.
Spain who edged Uruguay 2-1 in the first match of the pool on Sunday night, are second behind the African champions on goals difference.
While the Spaniards will look to pile up the goals against Tahiti tomorrow, the Eagles have confidence they can overpower Oscar Tabarez' La Celeste and earn a semi-final ticket ahead of their final group phase tango with world champions, Spain, in Fortaleza on Sunday.
Coach Stephen Keshi has also been telling his boys to believe in their ability as the Eagles checked into the Hotel De Ville yesterday.
"Nobody gave us the chance to triumph at the Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa. We love the status of underdogs that we have here and it will help us to achieve our objective of making Nigeria and Africa proud," Keshi said yesterday.
National Mirror
No one needs to tell them to forget Tahiti win, they should know that themeselves....They have to focus on the Uruguay game.