Nigeria are through to the Unity Cup final and the mood in camp is focused rather than celebratory, with defender Igoh Ogbu saying the 2-0 win over Zimbabwe on Tuesday was only half the job, Footynaija.com reports.
Ogbu was one of the more experienced heads in an otherwise youthful and experimental Nigeria lineup at The Valley. The Slavia Prague centre-back started alongside fellow debutant Chibueze Oputa at the heart of defence as Chelle handed out first caps freely in a squad missing most of his regular starters.
Zimbabwe tested Nigeria more in the second half, and Ogbu’s composure helped see out a clean sheet that kept Nigeria’s perfect Unity Cup record alive.
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The Super Eagles have now won all three previous editions of the tournament and are chasing a fourth consecutive title on Saturday. Jamaica await in the final, having qualified from the other semi-final, and Ogbu is taking nothing for granted.
Speaking via Footy-Africa, the centre-back gave an honest account of what the Zimbabwe game demanded before issuing a clear message about what comes next.
“It was a very tough game, especially in the second half, but we thank God for the victory. It was not easy at all,” Ogbuh said.
“It went well in the end. The boys did well, they pushed hard and now we have to enjoy the win and focus on the next game.”
He then shifted gear entirely, making clear that enjoyment has a short shelf life in this camp.
“We have to keep our heads straight, keep working hard and continue doing our best because it is a privilege to play for Nigeria. Now that we are in the final, we understand what we need to do. We will recover and prepare well because the reason we came here is to win and retain the title,” Ogbu added.
Chelle is expected to stick largely with the same group for the final, with his first-choice players held back for the June friendlies against Poland and Portugal. Saturday is another chance for the fringe players to make their case permanent.
