As the African Cup of Nations kicks off in Egypt today, a former AFCON winner and ex-Super Eagles’ winger, Finidi George has cautioned both players and technical crew of the senior national team not to get complacent ahead of their opening match fixture against Burundi.
Speaking exclusively to AOIFootball.com, the 1994 World Cup debutant reiterated that there are no minnows in African football because every team coming into the competition has a mentality of trying to win it.
“On paper, Nigeria should beat Burundi but we have seen time and time again that there are no underdogs in a tournament like this. The players are always prepared but we will see that in the coming days.
“They should play compact in attack and defence in order to recoup the ball whenever we lose it. The quicker we win back the ball after losing it, the more determined and dominant we will become during the course of the match. If we don’t do that, it will be a 50-50 chance for both teams,” Finidi concluded.
Having been drawn in Group B, three-time champions Nigeria will begin their quest for a fourth continental crown when they file out against Burundi on Saturday evening at the 20,000 capacity Alexandria Stadium in Egypt.
