YOBO: WE CAN WIN IT

Friday 3 February 2006, 12:00
by Scott McLeod @efc_scottmcleod

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Nigeria's Joseph Yobo says his team have only one achievement in their sights - winning the African Cup of Nations.

The Super Eagles emerged from the group stage with maximum points, with Yobo captaining his side on those three occasions.

But they face tough opposition in the last eight, with their opponents being Tunisia, the current African Champions this weekend.

Indeed, the North African side ended Nigeria's interest in the last competition in 2004.

And Yobo remains adamant: "We are here to win all our matches. That is the only way to go home with the trophy.

"We are focused on winning the cup, which to my mind is within our reach."

The Super Eagles required two late goals to defeat Senegal in their final group game, but Yobo preferred to focus on the positives.

Joseph Yobo and Augustine Eguavoen

"Don't forget that we have a lot of young players who are playing in their first Nations Cup here, and you don't expect them to satisfy everybody, but they played their bit, he said."

Yobo's coach, Augustine Eguavoen rejected any suggestion that his defenders had put in a below par perfomance aginst Senegal.

"I still have a lot of faith in my defenders," he said, "They are doing a great job.

"In a game of 90 minutes, there is no way a player will not make a mistake. I won't blame them for the goal which we conceeded against Senegal. After all, we beat the Senegalese in that match. I have so much confidence in the defence."

Nigeria's talisman JayJay Okocha is thought to be in with a chance of starting the game after missing the group stage through injury, and his return could result in Yobo relinquishing the captaincy.