The draws for the final round fixtures for the African zone qualifiers could not have come better for the Nigerian national team, the Super Eagles, African Champions as anxiety hung in the air few hours to the draws held at the Confederation of Africa Football headquarters in Cairo, Egypt.
The fixture of the Eagles drawn against the Wayla Antelopes of Ethiopia has been described by many soccer pundits as favourable and the book makers are at work as usual giving it to the African Champions to pick one of Africa’s five tickets to represent the continent at the World Cup in Brazil next year.
I am also humbled at the confidence shown by the players of the national team and even Coach Stephen Keshi who have been talking tough over looking the strengths of the Ethiopians for this crucial encounter.
In writing this piece, I have decided to be optimistic of our chances in being at our fifth World Cup but I remain cautious even as I silently prayed for a stronger opposition for the team and I continue to insist that Keshi has mother luck smiling on him once again as he hopes to lead this great side to the South American country.
For the Eagles, history beckons at their doorstep, but they must surmount the battle of Addis Ababa. I want to state boldly that the Ethiopians will give Nigeria a huge pace to catch up in the first leg this Sunday and our qualification will depend if this team would be bold to come up with a draw or at worst, lose by a slim margin.
The Wayla Antelopes also known as the Black Lions are ranked 96th in the World and 26th in Africa.
The team is currently led by Coach Sewnet Bishaw who has been at the helm since November 2011. Under Sewnet, the team has succeeded in qualifying for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations after a 31 year absence.
Ethiopia was one of the three teams along with Egypt and Sudan to participate in the inaugural Africa Cup of Nations in 1957. It won the competition in 1962 and while it was also the host. This remains the greatest feat ever achieved by the Ethiopian national team and the only Africa Cup of Nations it has ever won.
At the regional level, in 2001, CECAFA Cup, they beat 2-1 in the finals to win the championship till date.
In 2004, they repeated the same feat beating Burundi 3-0 and did same in 2005 winning Rwanda 1-0.
In July 2008, a FIFA emergency committee decided to suspend the Ethiopia Football Federation due to their failure to comply with the road map agreed upon earlier by FIFA, CAF and EFF in order to normalize the federation.
Ethiopia played four group matches in the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification before FIFA announced the immediate suspension of the federation and on September 12, 2008, FIFA canceled the results of their matches played which further barred them for the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations.
They bounced back to reckoning in 2009 and in 2010 CECAFA Cup in Tanzania, the team exceeded fans expectations by reaching the semi final stage.
The 2014 World Cup qualification for the Ethiopians remains a consistent course having advanced to the CAF group stage of the 2014 FIFA world Cup in Brazil with a 5-0 aggregate victory over Somalia; they joined South Africa, Botswana and Central Africa Republic in Group A.
They topped their group winning away in their last match to the Central Africa Republic at the same time edging out the Bafana Bafana of South Africa.
The Wayla Antelopes are led by Captain Degu Debebe, a defender who plays a home club called Saint George. He has earned 49 caps and remains a reliable strong force in the team’s defence, while Abebaw Butako who also features for Saint George at 26 years has been capped 31 times as a defender for the team.
Other notable players include Shimelis Bekele of Ethiopian Coffee Football Club who at 22 years has been capped 28 times scoring 7 goals and Behailu Assefa another midfielder who at 23 years has been capped 23 times with the deadly striker Saladin said of Lierse FC who at 24 has been capped 19 times with 11 goals which should not be overlooked, while Dumed Oukri has featured as a striker 25 times scoring 9 goals and Adame Girma the vice captain who at 28 years has played 40 times scoring 9 goals.
There is also a recent call up in Fikru Tefera who plays in South Africa with the University of Pretoria who has scored 8 goals from 29 games. The Eagles would need to overcome the high altitude of Addis Ababa and the veciferious crowd of sea red supporters who will throng out to cheer their team to victory.
Expectedly, I do not believe that Vincent Enyeama and his colleagues will go to sleep underating these lads who have shown grwat promise under the coach to make a name as Africa’s future team to watch.
If Keshi sees the need to ensure that the second leg in Calabar, Cross River State remains a mere formality, then the Eagles must win outrightly or at worst pull a draw in this first leg. Anything short of that would put pressure on the teams begin another round of calculation and distract the team in their preparations.
Whatever arrangements that the NFF must ensure to get the team succeed must be done and on time. This game boils down to picking up a ticket for the world cup and if we fail, it will dwarf the success of our victory at the Nations Cup in South Africa.
Only the best players are good enough for Keshi’s first eleven and I believe that for once, we should have a good side where we remain confident of their performance. The Eagles must truly step up their game this Sunday. History beckons on us.
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