Goal.com

Feb 9, 2013 2:08:00 PM

The sports minister has urged his countrymen to be prayerful and to expect the best in Sunday’s final match of the Africa Cup of Nations

Sports Minister Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi has assured soccer loving Nigerians that the Super Eagles would win the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations on Sunday.

The Minister agreed that the final match between the Eagles and the Burkina Faso national team won’t be easy but told Goal.com that with what he saw in Eagles camp when he visited them Thursday night in Johannesburg, it seemed the team has really been fired up to deliver the Afcon Trophy to President Goodluck Jonathan after the final slated for the National Stadium, Soweto.

“They are raring to go.  The mood and spirit in Eagles camp was electrifying and great. This team will surely deliver with what I saw yesterday. The players were in joyful mood, dancing and singing that night. I am confident of victory on Sunday,” Abdullahi told Goal.com Friday night.

He also allayed fears as regards the injury situation of Eagles top stars Emmanuel Emenike and Victor Moses.

“I met the medical team on the injury cases of Victor Moses and Emmanuel Emenike with what I saw it wasn’t a bad situation. Hopefully they will be good enough to play on Sunday,” he assured.

The Minister was also happy with the level of performance of the Nigerian team which has continued to improve as the competition progresses. “What we could also say is to thank God that the team peaked at the right time and the right moment. For me I am immensely satisfied regardless of what happened on Sunday. I am immensely satisfied and believe that we can only build on this regardless of what happens.

“I saw the Super Eagles players last night (Thursday night) but one thing you could also say for this team is that in addition to the belief they have about their talent, they are very, very spiritual and believe that victories come from Almighty God. That is why you see them at every beginning and end of games they play in the on-going Afcon they would always come together to pray to God.

“I told them last night (Thursday night) they have done something very important for Nigeria and that they have changed the mood of Nigerians. I told them that everybody is now excited and upbeat that great things can still happen to us in Nigeria because of what the boys have done. I told them that I have the confidence that the team would beat Burkina Faso and emerge champions on Sunday,” Abdullahi assured.

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