Chelsea of England midfielder, the Nigerian Mikel Obi says the semi final cracker between Ghana and Nigeria, will be different from what obtained three years ago.
“The environment will be different, the whole stadium will not be behind them, besides this team has more to prove than the one that played them two years ago”.
He dismissed speculations that the team was not playing well. “ ….we are not playing well and we are in the semi final ? Perhaps we should not play well and win the cup, rather than play well and go back home to watch the match on television.”
He said the competition itself has proven that there are no small teams any more in Africa, that is why Cote D´Ivoire, Cameroun, Mali and Tunisia among others are no more in the competition.
“ We should not be judged by the performance against the Zambian team. They were tactically very disciplined, one of the most difficult matches I have played for a very long time and victory could have gone either way. They gave us a lot of problems, we played better but we did not just take our chances when we should and that gave them the confidence to come at us.
“Ghana´s match will be different. Any player that will be given a shirt on that day will be fired up to deliver. I know we are playing with a lot of pressure from our fans back home yet that should make us sit up and deliver.”
The 23 year old World Youth Championship silver medalist said Nigeria will beat Ghana. “ Don’t ask me how or why, I know we will beat them. We are fired and ready. To have gotten this far, there is no stopping us. In Ghana, there were too many odds going against us, including a massive home support but here we will be starting on a level playing field and we will win”
In saying so he quickly added that it may not be easy, but that it will happen. “ They will come at us, but I know we have the experience and the resources to subdue them” he added, confidently.
Source: Cafonline
DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
Tags:
Latest Stories
-
We’ll cut down imports and boost consumption of local rice and other products – Mahama
22 mins -
Prof Opoku-Agyemang donates to Tamale orphanage to mark her birthday
1 hour -
Don’t call re-painted old schools brand new infrastructure – Prof Opoku-Agyemang tells gov’t
2 hours -
Sunon Asogli plant will be back on stream in a few weeks – ECG
2 hours -
ECOWAS deploys observers for Dec. 7 election
2 hours -
73 officers commissioned into Ghana Armed Forces
2 hours -
Impending shutdown of three power plants won’t happen – ECG MD
2 hours -
Ghana shouldn’t have experienced any ‘dumsor’ after 2017 – IES Boss
3 hours -
Lamens flouted some food safety laws in re-bagging rice – Former FDA Boss Alhaji Hudu Mogtari
4 hours -
Afcon exit: Our issue is administrative failure and mismanagement, not lack of talent – Saddick Adams
4 hours -
WAPCo to commence major pipeline maintenance and inspection from November 25
4 hours -
CEO of Oro Oil Ghana Limited Maxwell Commey listed among the 100 Most Influential People Awards, 2024
5 hours -
Power crisis: Amandi is off due to maintenance, not debt – ECG Boss
5 hours -
Votes cast for late Akua Donkor to be declared invalid – Electoral Commission
5 hours -
You can’t keep “incompetent” Otto Addo for the long term – Countryman Songo
5 hours