By Giwa SHILE
Soccer fans across the country were in frenzy as they celebrated the 2-0 victory of the Super Eagles against Iceland in the ongoing World Cup in Russia on Friday.
TBI Africa reports that Striker Ahmed Musa got a brace for the Eagles in the second half of the game.
Reacting to the victory, Mr Austin Ajayi, Chairman, Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Adamawa chapter, said in Yola that the Super Eagles played to the expectations of the people.
Ajayi said the strength displayed had given hope that Nigeria would win Argentina in their final First Round match.
He also commended Coach Gernot Rohr for listening to public comments after the match against Croatia and re-organising his team to record the desired result.
Similarly, Mr Emmanuel Zira, the Chairman, Adamawa United Football Club, said that the victory did not come as a surprise.
Zira said the team learnt from its mistakes during the previous match, adding that they played with more zeal to win.According to him, there is hope for the team “to go places’’ if they can sustain this very tempo.
In Enugu, former Super Eagles Coach Christian Chukwu described the victory as “fantastic’’.
Chukwu said the Super Eagles showed “who we are and what we are really made of as Nigerians — a hard fighting people.“Moses and Musa are the kings of the game as they displayed mastery today.Musa has made our day today and lifted our spirits high,’’ he said.
Chukwu, a former captain of the Super Eagles, urged Nigerians to celebrate the victory.He, however, cautioned that Nigeria’s match against Argentina was crucial but expressed optimism that the Super Eagles would be victorious.
“I personally believe that the Super Eagles have all it takes to beat the Argentine team.For me, the Argentine team is beatable and Super Eagles must beat them.’’
In Calabar, a journalist, Mr David Odey, the performance as ‘spectacular’, saying that it had rekindled the hope of the team.
He said the team would go far in the tournament if they replicated the same performance against the Argentina.“The coach needs to get his acts right by picking the players that will be able to defeat Argentina and progress to the knockout stage of the tournament,” he said.
Similarly, Mrs Janet Okon, a civil servant, congratulated the Super Eagles for the victory.Okon said the victory had wiped away the tears of many Nigerians from the previous loss against Croatia.
“It was a wonderful performance. You can see the unity and oneness among Nigerians worldwide.I can tell you now that every Nigerian is excited with this defeat against Iceland,” she said.
Also reacting, student, Mr Paul Abang, predicted that the Super Eagles would beat Argentina if only they improved on their standard of play.
In Uyo, AniefiokUdonquak, Chairman Correspondents Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists in AkwaIbom, noted that the Super Eagles played with vigour and determination in the second half of the match.“The confidence exhibited in the second half gave the Super Eagles the deserving victory.It would have been very disappointing for the giant of Africa if we had lost the match.’’
He said the Uyo fans hoped that the Super Eagles would continue with the spirit of doggedness in the next match against Argentina on Tuesday.
Also speaking, a football lover and analyst, InemesitAkpan-Nsoh, said the Super Eagles victory against Iceland would silence critics, who did not expect the boys to score any goal in the tournament.
He urged the Super Eagles replicate to duplicate the same zeal and stamina in their subsequent match.“I am optimistic that with today’s victory, Nigeria will get to the round of 16 in the 2018 World Cup.Nigerians must be optimistic and pray for the success of the team in the next match,” Akpan-Nsoh said.
With the victory, the Super Eagles have moved from bottom to second place in Group D and will play their last match with Argentina on June 26.
