Super Eagles qualification for the finals of South Africa - Wednesday's 4-1 triumph over Mali here in the semi-final of the ongoing 2013 AFCON in South Africa, was Nigeria's seventh qualification for the finals of the competition, reports a PANA Correspondent at the event.
The last time the Super Eagles got to the final was 13 years ago (2000), but sadly they lost to Cameroon. Nigeria also lost to the Indomitable Lions in 1984 and 1988.
To go through to the 2013 finals, the Super Eagles did it in grand style, dismissing the Eagles of Mali 4-1.
According to PANA, what was initially expected to be a tough encounter ended up a one-sided match as the Super Eagles did not waste time in asserting that they were far more superior than the Malians.
The Super Eagles, who started the tournament on a shaky note, barely surviving the group stage, suddenly found their rhythm -- soaring 2-1 over Cote d'Ivoire in the quarter-finals before the emphatic 4-1 win over Mali.
Playing with unusual confidence that may even border on arrogance, the pre-tournament unrated Nigerian side are now the top seed to win the cup on Sunday
From their defence to the midfield and then the attack, the Nigerians were masterly with their crisp passing and dribbling, superb ball control. They contested every ball and made the game a no-contest with their compact defence, fluid midfield and potent attacking line.
Should Nigeria win the cup on Sunday, Coach Stephen Keshi would have entered his name into the history books where he will join the late Egyptian football legend, Mahmoud El-Gohary, to win the African Nations Cup as player and later as coach.
The Egyptian who died last September in Jordan after suffering brain stroke achieved his feat in 1959 as a player and in 1998 as a coach.
Keshi was the captain of the 1994 victorious Super Eagles and is already leading the team again as coach to another possible victory on Sunday.
Pana 06/02/2013