Nairaland Forum

The Super eagles of nigeria defeated Mali 4 -1 in a one sided semi final match, with goals from Musa, Echiejile, Ideye and sissoko scored an own goal.

After atrocious referring decisions, the Burkinabees had a legit goal disallowed and a player sent off, they came back from 1 down , leveled the score through bance, went to shoot outs and won.

Nearly two decades have passed since the Super Eagles last soared above all other continental challengers, when their 1994 vintage – inspired by talented youngsters like Jay-Jay Okocha and Sunday Oliseh, complemented by the goals and experience of Rashidi Yekini – prevented a fairytale victory for a Zambia team badly scarred by the Gabon air tragedy just months earlier. That disaster was used by Zambia as inspiration for last year's triumph in Libreville and the same period provides motivation for Nigeria this time, too, following the untimely death of Yekini - the country's all-time leading scorer and star of the 1994 tournament - last year at the age of 48.


Key battle: Victor Moses v Jonathan Pitroipa. Both wingers have played an integral role for their respective teams at this tournament, and have often produced the spark of creativity to inspire their team-mates. Chelsea attacker Moses, who only made his debut for Nigeria last year, didn't start the first game of the finals but has proved indispensable since - no more so than when winning and scoring two late penalties to secure progress in the final group game. His opposing No. 11's presence in the final was only confirmed on Friday when a ban for a harsh red card in the semi-final victory over Ghana was overturned. Pitroipa's availability is a major boost to Burkina Faso, with the Stade Rennes man having created Alain Traore's late group-stage leveller against Nigeria and proving he has more than just pace and nimble feet when heading home the winner in the quarter-final against Togo.

Trivia: Guinea are the only country to have played at more African Nations Cups than Burkina Faso without winning the trophy. This is Burkina Faso's ninth tournament, while Guinea have yet to triumph in ten appearances. However, the Stallions can take heart from the fact that Ivory Coast took ten attempts to win their first crown, while Tunisia claimed glory on their 11th attempt and last year's champions Zambia finally broke their duck at the 15th time of asking.

Stats: Although they missed the 2012 tournament, Nigeria have played the second-highest number of African Nations Cup matches (80) in the competition's history, with only record seven-time winners Egypt having featured in more games (90). Egypt are also the only nation to have scored more goals (154) than the Super Eagles (112).

Prediction: Burkina Faso will be looking to follow in Zambia's footsteps but Nigeria are ready to put their African Nations Cup underachievement behind them and claim that long-awaited third continental title.

Since we have no polls. we will do it in two separate posts

Who will be crowned 2013 AFCON Champions? Like if you think it's

Nigeria

Who will be crowned 2013 AFCON Champions? Like if you think it's

Burkina Faso

Naija all the way.
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yesoooooooooooo, this one belongs to Naija, them nor de drag dat one...soccer is really unpredicatble
i see Nigeria 3-1 Burkina

Even after the armed robbery on south africa road the babes of burkina still survived. God no dey sleep. #Ghana must go

By God's grace nigeria will win the trophy. And i think the final is on sunday, the 10th of february as finals are usually played on sundays

It will be a glorious day

We are lifting d trophy..

nnasino: By God's grace nigeria will win the trophy. And i think the final is on sunday, the 10th of february as finals are usually played on sundays

Yeah that is what I noticed but don't know why it is so. Can u enlighten me?

nnasino: By God's grace nigeria will win the trophy. And i think the final is on sunday, the 10th of february as finals are usually played on sundays

Allow me display my fanaticism by saying that the grace of GOD is not for winning football matches

super eagles all the way

make i hear say nigeria no carry dis trophy.

All this small gaynians wen dey won raise head for where giant like Nigeria dey self

My Blood is Green Already!
I never Gave You Guys a Chance, my apologies............. Now Bring the Cup to Mama.........

AFCON no dey get weight again o,hw zambia and nw burkina faso go dey rch final naw,mtchew.i 4 like c ghana/9ja final.all d same,go eagles,d sky is green!

MukinaFaso is already supporting her team

'Other rappers be like Naija them no dey reach finals'...time to change it to 'other rappers be like Ghana dem no dey reach finals'...OLAMIDE GO REMIX THAT SONG O.NAIJA DON SPOIL THE SONG...IF U BELEIVE THAT THE AFCON 2013 TROPHY WILL BE ON IT'S WAY TO NAIJA ON MONDAY AFTER THE MATCH ON SUNDAY.....LIKE THIS COMMENT

lucenzo: "Other rappers be like naija dem no dey reach final" - [b]olamide
[/b]
The boy don f0rk up

you mind the Mumu? silly Ewu gambia.

PurpleHouse: My Blood is Green Already!
I never Gave You Guys a Chance, my apologies............. Now Bring the Cup to Mama.........

always blv in d Power of 9ja,it works 4me

Mikel/Moses = Player of the Tournament

Emenike = Highest Goal Scorer (Golden Boot Winner)

Enyeama = Goal Keeper of the Tournament

Super Eagles = Team of the Year

Stephen Keshi= Coach of the Year



LIKE this comment if you believe so

Nigeria 1 - 0 Burkina Faso
On penalties Nigeria 3 - 2 Burkina Faso
It shall come to pass.

With bulls like Emenike and Moses, hares like Musa and Ideye, lions like Oboabona, Ambrose and Omeruo, Tortoise like Mikel plus TB Joshua a.sse licker Onazi combined together in a team, i dont see Burkinafaso doing any harm to Eagles

SamConquer: 'Other rappers be like Naija them no dey reach finals'...time to change it to 'other rappers be like Ghana dem no dey reach finals'...OLAMIDE GO REMIX THAT SONG O.NAIJA DON SPOIL THE SONG...IF U BELEIVE THAT THAT THE AFCON 2013 TROPHY WILL BE ON IT'S WAY TO NAIJA ON MONDAY AFTER THE MATCH ON SUNDAY.....LIKE THIS COMMENT

i blv sha but guy no dey beg pple mk dem like ur comment

SamConquer: 'Other rappers be like Naija them no dey reach finals'...time to change it to 'other rappers be like Ghana dem no dey reach finals'...OLAMIDE GO REMIX THAT SONG O.NAIJA DON SPOIL THE SONG...IF U BELEIVE THAT THAT THE AFCON 2013 TROPHY WILL BE ON IT'S WAY TO NAIJA ON MONDAY AFTER THE MATCH ON SUNDAY.....LIKE THIS COMMENT

i blv sha but guy no dey beg pple mk dem like ur comment

We are going to get the Cup

Abrantie, Otumfur and their likes can go hug transformer....who cares

Ghana must and has finaly gone

Thank God its bukina cos ghana not that they are strong bt they re allways a stumblin block to us........the cup is already in abuja

I'm sure there's a lot of match fixing in this competiton, the refree was trying to fix the match for Ghana, but God disfix it @ d end of the day. But Ghana really disappoint me. I jst hope Burkina faso would appeal that silly red card, so their top star too would play that final, cos I no wan hear story after we beat them.

Nigeria all the way!

This Super Eagles are Mali-cious. Burkina Fasos beware, To be 4-1 is to be fore-armed.