Ethiopia can’t leave Calabar with Brazil 2014 ticket

[Mirror]

All roads will today lead to the ancient city of Calabar where the Super Eagles of Nigeria are expected to seal the fate of visiting Walya Antelopes of Ethiopia in the second leg of the 2014 World Cup play-off. The African champions would be going into today's cracker having defeated the visitors at their backyard by 2-1 in the first leg and it is expected that a resounding victory against the mouthy Ethiopians will ensure Nigeria's flag being hoisted in Brazil next year.

As a kicker, on paper, the Super Eagles have all it takes to tame and possibly roast the Walya Antelopes with goals as analysts are eager to see Coach Stephen Keshi use the explosive encounter to reassure so many soccer pundits that their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) victory earlier in the year was not a mere fluke.

How is the Nigerian team going to play today? How are they going to draw the much needed inspiration that will see them fly over Ethiopia at this final stage of the Brazil 2014 World Cup qualifiers? Your guess could be as good as mine because at this stage no team will ever dream of losing out in capturing one of the tickets for the Mundial.

Already, qualification would mean a fifth World Cup appearance for Nigeria having previously been to the Mundial in 1994, 1998, 2002 and 2010, while for Ethiopia, qualification will mean their first appearance at the global stage. So, the Walya Antelopes are expected to fight back. However, all odds are against the visitors because aside the fact that the African champions are in high spirit ahead of the all-important cracker, the players are eager to see themselves land in Brazil. The determination of the players to actualise this great dream is so glaring.

HT gathered that majority of the Nigerian players want to use the 'Battle of Calabar' to announce to the world that Nigerian football is on a massive rise. Mikel Obi, Victor Moses, Ogenyi Onazi, Ahmed Musa, Obinna Nsofor, Nosa Igiebor and team captain, Vincent Enyeama have all shown their determination to roast Ethiopia in Calabar.

According to Keshi, the Eagles are not ready to underrate the visitors because they have the potentials to turn the table, even in Calabar. It is the stand of HT that the team must not allow this opportunity to slip off their hands because a World Cup ticket will go a long way to confirm Nigeria's soccer prowess as worthy champions of Africa.

Actually, the Ethiopians lost the first leg at their backyard, but they are undaunted by that defeat as they have vowed to deny the Super Eagles the opportunity of being in Brazil next year.

According to their coach, Sewnet Bishaw, they are going to approach the second leg as if it is a World Cup final. He revealed that his players played better than the Super Eagles in the first leg, but where denied of victory as result of poor finishing upfront.

Therefore Keshi should marshal out a killer squad that will teach the visitors a lot of football lessons. Emmanuel Emenike, whose brace helped Nigeria to come from behind to beat Ethiopia 2-1 in the first leg, should spearhead the attack, while the entire squad should play as a wellblended side in order to give Nigerians something to cheer ahead of upcoming festive season and the New Year.

The team has trained enough and today is a day of reckoning for the visitors who manhandled our players in Ethiopia after the first leg. HT wants to use the opportunity to tell Godfrey Oboabona who made a goal line clearance in the first leg, Efe Ambrose, Elderson Echiejile and Azubuike Egwuekwe to be red alert and never give the strikers of Walya Antelopes any room to operate.

They should keep a close watch on Behailu Assefa who scored Ethiopia's opening goal in the first leg, and their dependable striker, Getaneh Kebede, who missed the first leg due to an ankle injury.

Also, Saladan Said Ahmed who like Kebede scored four of Ethiopia's eight goals in the qualifiers should be marked-out of the encounter, so as to quicken the actualisation of victory in today's encounter. Nigerians for sure are behind the Eagles in prayers and anything short of Brazil 2014 World Cup ticket will be unacceptable. The time to roast the Walya Antelopes is now!

[Shola Sholaz]

And yes they didn't! All they took home was a 2 nil defeat.