Interim Super Eagles coach, Augustine Eguavoen, has expressed strong confidence in the team’s ability to defeat any opponent, attributing this to the exceptional quality of the players.
Eguavoen made these remarks following Nigeria’s impressive 3-0 victory over the Cheetahs of Benin Republic in their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, on Saturday.
“We have the quality players to beat any team, though we respect our opponents,” Eguavoen said. “Any coach can come in and do the job with the Super Eagles. It’s all about mindset, knowing our potential, understanding the opponent, and then going out there to execute.”
He credited the victory to the strategic formation chosen by the technical crew, emphasizing that the Super Eagles are versatile enough to succeed with any tactical approach.
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“We can use any system,” Eguavoen explained. “It’s something we discussed, and I considered it carefully. With the calibre of players we have, we can adapt to any formation. Football is about winning, losing, or drawing, but I don’t believe we have a poor result.”
Eguavoen also praised the team’s defensive performance, describing it as superb, and noted that the players had been training together for a week, which contributed to their strong showing.
Regarding his decision to have six players warm up for the second half, Eguavoen clarified that it was a tactic to buy time and ensure no hasty changes were made. He acknowledged that the Cheetahs of Benin Republic were a good team with a solid game plan.
Eguavoen stepped in as interim coach after the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) failed to finalize a deal with German coach Bruno Labbadia. The NFF cited stringent regulations imposed by German tax authorities as the reason for the breakdown of the agreement.
