Nduka, Chelle draw on Nigerian sporting excellence ahead of blockbuster Senegal clash
As anticipation builds for Tuesday’s TotalEnergies CAF African Nations Championship 2024 showdown between Nigeria and Senegal, Super Eagles coach, Éric Chelle and Junior Nduka have shared insight into their mindset heading into the opening clash of Group B.
Nduka, seen as one of the Super Eagles' leaders going into the continental tournament, touched on the emotional weight of national pride and recent sporting momentum Nigeria carries into the tie.
“To our fellow Nigerians, I know the expectations are high because we have been doing well in sports and we will try our best not to let them down,” said Nduka during the pre-match media briefing in Zanzibar on Monday.
“Our female team has just won the WAFCON and our women's team just won the basketball title. It's a good record for the country and we hope to consolidate on that.”
The Nigerian football scene is riding a wave of positive results across multiple codes, something Nduka hopes to feed off. However, the real test begins on the pitch, where the Super Eagles will come up against a dangerous and athletic Senegalese outfit.
Chelle, who has guided the local-based Nigerian squad through intense preparations, was keen to stay focused on the immediate task at hand.
“I don't wanna talk about Congo or Sudan for now,” he said when asked about Nigeria’s upcoming group opponents. “Our focus is on our first match tomorrow, we wanna take each game as it comes and take it step by step. Now we face Senegal before we can talk about Congo and Sudan.”
The former Mali international and current tactician played down any talk of rivalry or emotion, choosing instead to focus on the stature of the contest.
“I don't think it's a derby but this is a game between two big countries in Africa. They have a history in football. Senegal have a good generation and a good team,” he explained. “So our preparation for this game has been good and we will look to implement everything we have prepared into this match.”
Nigeria’s TotalEnergies CAF CHAN 2024 squad, made up exclusively of players plying their trade in the local league, will be tested against a physical and tactically astute Senegal side known for their pace and power.