The Super Eagles were on the verge of crashing out of AFCON 2013 after back-to-back draws in their first two Group C matches.
Former Super Eagles midfielder Ogenyi Onazi has shared how the late Stephen Keshi turned Nigeria’s fortunes around during their victorious 2013 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) campaign in South Africa.
Nigeria’s AFCON journey in 2013 began with high hopes but stumbled early, with 1-1 draws against Burkina Faso and Zambia in Group C. However, they mounted a spirited group stage comeback to secure a 2-0 victory over Ethiopia, which marked a turning point and set them on the path to lifting the trophy.
Reflecting on the dramatic group stage recovery, Onazi told Brila FM, “We drew the first match, then the second one again. Nigerians even started calling us draw soup.”
The 31-year-old recalled that tensions boiled over after the second match, leading to a heated argument among the players, with key figures like Mikel Obi, Joseph Yobo, and Vincent Enyeama pointing fingers at one another. Amid the shouting, Keshi remained seated, observing silently.
“When the shouting stopped, Keshi calmly stood up and asked, ‘Are you all done shouting now?’ Then he said, ‘If I were you, I’d focus on changing things. Nigerians already expect us to play three matches and come home.’
“The next option is simple—either we win the last match or we pack our bags. Use the energy you’re wasting on each other to win so we can move to the next round.
“Everyone started thinking about what Keshi said. In the next game, we won, and after that, we just kept winning.”
The Super Eagles went on to beat Côte d’Ivoire 2-1 in the quarter-finals, trounce Mali 4-1 in the semi-finals, and clinch the trophy courtesy of Sunday Mba’s decisive goal in the 1-0 final win over Burkina Faso.
The triumph remains Nigeria’s last AFCON victory. Since then, the Super Eagles have missed out on the 2015 and 2017 editions, finished third at AFCON 2019, and exited in the Round of 16 at the 2021 edition in Cameroon, before a second-place finish at AFCON 2023 in Côte d’Ivoire.
Looking ahead to the 2025 edition in Morocco, Nigeria sits at the top of Group D with seven points from three matches, needing a win to secure qualification.
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