Nigeria Eagles to play in the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations

March 2, 2012

The recent qualifying match between Nigeria's national football team the Super Eagles and Rwanda's Amavubi Stars ended in a draw, but Nigeria is still expected to qualify for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.

"We planned for a win in Rwanda but got a scoreless draw," Alhaji Aminu Maigari, president of the Nigeria Football Federation, told AllAfrica.com. "While we would have preferred to win, there is no need to cry over spilled milk. The onus is now on us to prepare hard to win the return leg in Nigeria, and reach the final qualifying round."

The game was the first competitive match for coach Stephen Keshi, according to Vanguard NGR. While many fans are worried about Keshi's ability to lead the team to victory, two prominent Nigerian coaches are showing their support. The news source reports that Festus Adegboye Onigbinde, who led the team to the finals in the 1984 Nations Cup, and former Eagles defender and coach for the African Champions League Khadiri Ikhana, both expressed their sympathy for the pressure Keshi was under during this week's game.

The team will play Rwanda again soon and those who will be out of the country during the match can use international phone cards to make calls to Nigeria and ask their friends for play-by-plays.

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