Wen Nigeria take di field for dia 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) round of 16 tie against Cameroon, di stakes go dey incredibly high.
Apart from rivalry between di nations wey go as far back as forty years, wey bin start wit Cameroon victory for di 1984 final, di Super Eagles no go wan repeat di disappointment of two years ago, wen dem comot for di tournament for di first knockout round.
Despite say dem start di 2021 edition for Cameroon on high, as di only side to win all three group-stage matches, Nigeria den suffer a shock 1-0 defeat by Russia.
E bring a premature end to one campaign wey bin don promise so much, and e make di fans nervous ahead of Saturday encounter wit di Indomitable Lions for Abidjan.
“I understand many pipo dey remind us about di last tournament and leaving at dis same stage,” striker Victor Osimhen tell BBC Sport Africa.
“Second chance no dey for knockout football. You win or go home.”
Cameroon get five continental titles and Nigeria get three. Di Super Eagles bin lose finals to di Central Africans for 1988 and 2000, and for Osimhen eyes, dis “huge” match-up almost transcend football.
“We dey determined to win and we wan do di tok-tok on di pitch and outside,” di reigning African Footballer of di Year add.
“We all go go war togeda as teammates, as brothers, as Nigerians, and e no get anytin our pipo want more dan for us to win.”
Yet Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong dey wary of di potential pitfalls ahead, as form during di group stage dey count for veri little for one-off encounters.
Di side defeat against di Carthage Eagles two years ago come as shock to di system, but di defender believe say di team dey richer for di experience.
“Dat na clear lesson for us and somtin wey we bin learn di hard way,” Troost-Ekong tok.
“And you neva know wetin go happun sake of say di knockout football na strange scene now – (wit) so many surprising results for di Afcon.”
‘I still be work in progress’ – Osimhen
Nigeria manner of progress through di tournament don come as somtin of a surprise too.
Di finals for Ivory Coast don dey marked by upsets, and while di Super Eagles emerge from Group A in line wit expectation, dem finish behind lesser-fancied Equatorial Guinea on goal difference.
Jose Peseiro side bin struggle for goals, and dem only score three times for three group matches, and Osimhen dey come in for particular criticism.
Despite say im come into di competition as di highest scorer in qualifying, di Napoli man dey for di middle of a rut, as im miss more big chances dan anyone else for Ivory Coast.
Osimhen don register di highest figures for expected goals (xG) and attempts at goal for di Afcon finals, scoring im only goal from a combined xG of 2.72 afta im send in 13 shots.
Na unusual state of affairs for di 25-year-old, wey dey under significant pressure to deliver not just for Nigeria, but to justify di continental player of di year award im receive for December.
Osimehn admit say im neva show im best form yet, but add say im believe im overall contribution to di team dey positive despite di missed chances.
“I get one goal for three games – e no dey so good for my kind of pesin but of course, I still be work in progress,” e tok.
“Dis na my first proper Afcon. I tink I still get a long way to go, and e dey normal, and I get so much in store for me to give to di team.
“Before anyone come out to criticise me, na me go first criticise myself. But so far, so good, I dey do well even though di goals no dey come yet.
“I tink I don dey able to show my support to my teammates, working hard for dem, chasing evri ball, defending for dem and motivating dem also.
“I tink dis na one of di most important tins as one of di leaders for di team, and I dey happy wit my contribution so far.”
To get ‘self-belief’ for rivalry wey don tey
If Nigeria gatz overcome Cameroon, dem go demand a huge contribution not just from Osimhen, but from di entire team.
Di rivalry between di two nations dey legendary – and although di Indomitable Lions get three final victories ova di West Africans, meetings outside of di showpiece event don tend to go Nigeria way.
Dia most recent Afcon meeting for 2019 see both sides trade leads before Nigeria secure a 3-2 win.
Troost-Ekong believe say di familiarity di teams share go be to di benefit of di Super Eagles
“Cameroon na team wey we know so well,” di 30-year-old PAOK centre-back tok.
“We bin play dem on our way to di 2018 World Cup, for di round of 16 for 2019, and we play friendly games against dem as well, for di time between dat. So, I dey confident di same way I bin dey confident wen di tournament start, I really believe in our team.
“E go be tough opponent. But I tink we get wetin we need to make sure we win.”
Supporting dis confidence na di widely-held belief say di Super Eagles perform at dia best wen dem dey faced wit doubt.
Na sentiment wey di ogbonge defender also get.
“I actually tink say wen di stakes dey even higher, di team seem to perform even beta,” e add.
“E dey great to see say di mental powers dia, di resilience, but also di self-belief, becos I tink say wetin happun within our squad – wetin di manager tok, wetin di players tok – real sense of team and real sense of importance given to wetin we really believe dey.
“Sake of say we believe in it from di start.”
