Super Eagles have become targets - Aiyegbeni

[Folami David]

The recent CAF Africa Cup of Nations saw Nigeria, under Stephen Keshi, begin the year with a bang, going all the way through to claim their third continental title and thus seal a place at this June's FIFA Confederations Cup Brazil 2013. The feat plunged the entire nation into raptures, and striker Yakubu Ayegbeni was quick to pay tribute to the Super Eagles despite not featuring during the African finals.
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"It was an exciting campaign for Nigeria," the 30- year-old Guangzhou R&F striker told FIFA.com. "We had a young team but they put in brilliant performances. The coach has done a good job in moulding the team into a strong unit. It is an achievement which has made all the Nigerian people happy."
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The success, according to the former Middlesbrough and Blackburn marksman, provides Keshi's charges with not only a morale-booster but also challenges heading into the eight-nation global showpiece, where they are grouped alongside Spain, Tahiti and Uruguay.
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"The team are expected to continue their good form in Brazil in June," continued Ayegbeni, who is Nigeria's third highest international goal-scorer with 21 goals from 57 caps. "But after our triumph in the Africa Cup of Nations, we will become a target for rivals, who will be motivated to defeat us. And these are the continental champions of the world so the pressure is greater, but it is good for our youngsters to gain international experience."
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It proved to be, though, a campaign harder than expected for Nigeria. Keshi's hopefuls opened with two 1-1 draws against firstly Burkina Faso, and then Zambia, before a pair of late penalties from Victor Moses against Ethiopia sent them to the quarter- finals. They proceeded to edge Ivory Coast 2-1, before routing Mali 4-1 to set up a final re-match with an impressive Burkina Faso, where they prevailed 1 0.
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"African football has made consistent progress over these years, so there were no easy games throughout the campaign. Every rival we played against are strong and our team defied all the odds to win the African title," Ayegbeni reflected.