Super Eagles captain, Ahmed Musa, has called on Nigerians to maintain their trust in the team's abilities as they aim for a fourth Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title at the upcoming 34th edition of the tournament in Ivory Coast.
Despite a recent lackluster 2-0 defeat to Guinea in a pre-AFCON friendly, Musa remains confident in the squad's capabilities.
The defeat marked the end of their one-week training camp in the Middle East, and they are set to depart for Ivory Coast.
Musa emphasized the team's excitement and belief in their quality, urging fans to support them on their quest for success in the AFCON tournament.
Super Eagles captain Ahmed Musa has charged Nigerians not to lose trust in the team as they hope to win a fourth Africa Cup of Nations title at the 34th edition of the tournament.
It will be held from January 13 to February 11 in Ivory Coast Musa’s wish is coming after the Eagles lacklustre pre-AFCON friendly, which they lost 2-0 to Guinea at the Bani Yas Stadium, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates on Monday.
Ahmed Musa urges nigerians to keep faith as Super Eagles target fourth AFCON title
Despite the setback, Ahmed Musa expressed confidence in the squad, emphasizing their commitment and the coach's target of winning the tournament.
“Everybody is excited and waiting to go to Abidjan. After the last game in Uyo, when the campaign started, we told ourselves about going there to shine. We can see all the quality in the squad and we can’t say otherwise. In football anything can happen but we have the confidence,” Ahmed Musa told NFF TV.
Despite the defeat that overshadowed their preparations for the tournament, Musa insists that the squad are confident going into the AFCON.
“Even the coach has set a target of winning the AFCON for himself too. I just want Nigerians to believe in the team, with their support we can go far,” he concluded.
Musa alongside Kasimpasa defender, Kenneth Omeruo are the only AFCON winners with the Super Eagles in the 2013 AFCON in South Africa under the late coach Stephen Keshi.
During the 2013 AFCON tournament, the 31-year-old Ahmed Musa showcased his goal-scoring prowess, contributing to Nigeria’s success with a notable goal in the 4-1 victory over Mali in the semi-final and making a substitute appearance in the final against Burkina Faso.
However, in the current season, Musa has assumed more of a benchwarmer role, featuring in only four games and accumulating a total of 237 minutes of playing time since August 2023.
Despite the limited playing opportunities, Musa made a significant impact on December 7, 2023, breaking a 20-month goal drought by scoring for Sivasspor in a 2-1 triumph over Arnavutkoy Belediyespor during the fourth round of the Turkish Cup.
This goal marked his first for Sivasspor in 28 appearances across all competitions, emphasizing his resilience and scoring prowess.
Ahmed Musa's last goal before this came on February 26, 2022, while playing for his former club, Fatih Karagümrük, in a Turkish Super Lig match against Istanbul Basaksehir.
This article was most recently revised and updated 1 year ago
