There is every reason to dread the green jersey Super Eagles wore to lose two crucial matches at the Egypt 2019 Africa Cup of Nation, which ends today in Cairo.
And to understand the jinx behind the outfit, one must go back to the Russia 2019 World Cup.
Nigeria had powered past debutants, Iceland, 2-0 in their second group match wearing the much admired light green on white, with black stripes. Then came Lionel Messi and his Argentine robots. In a match that Eagles needed a draw to qualify for the second round, a late minute goal gave the Argies a 2-1 victory. It was a painful exit especially since it was the fifth time Nigeria would lose to the South Americans at the Mundial.
In Egypt, the Eagles did not lose until they wore the jinxed deep green jersey. Victors, Madagascar, were making their debut. The game ended 2-0. That score line was the very first time Nigeria would be so beaten at AFCON. It also turned out to be the first time the team would lose to debutants in the competition. Qualification to the next round had been confirmed before that dismal outing.
Against defending champions, Cameroon, in the Second Round, the bad luck jersey gave way to the usual winning jersey. The Eagles showed class with a 3-2 win that caused the Indomitable Lions coaching duo of Clarence Seedorf and Patrick Kluivert their job. Odion Ighalo got a brace and Alex Iwobi scored his first Nations Cup goal.
In the quarter finals, Eagles stopped Bafana Bafana with a late minute goal by William Troost-Ekong. Samuel Chukwueze had scored the opener before South Africa relied on Video Assistant Referee [VAR] to equalize in the second half. The losers had performed what sounded like a miracle by sending out hosts and favourites, Pharaohs of Egypt, in the Second Round.
It was Nigeria against Algeria in the semi-final. Apparently because the Desert Foxes also wear green and white, Super Eagles went back to their cursed green. Many fans gave up, the moment the team arrived the stadium. An own goal by Ekong whose goal booked a semi-final ticket, told the story. Ighalo’s equalizer was encouraging but it was obvious the Nigerians were not playing their best. A last second strike by the Algerian skipper buried the game.
It is important to take a closer look at the jinxed jersey. When Nigeria lost to Madagascar, there was an own goal, by Wilfred Ndidi. When the Eagles fell to Algeria, there was another own goal by Ekong. The second goal scored by Madagascar came through a free kick. Algeria’s second goal was also scored through a free kick.
Going back to the 2018 World Cup, when Argentina won 2-1, Nigeria equalized through a penalty kick and had to depend on VAR. Victor Moses scored from the spot. At Egypt 2019, in the 2-1 loss to Algeria, Super Eagles drew level thanks to Ighalo’s penalty. And it was VAR that decided. It is interesting that Argentine captain, Messi scored one of the goals at the Mundial. And so did the Algerian skipper, Mahrez, at AFCON.
Three days after the loss to Algeria, Nigeria dumped the silly jersey and went ahead to beat Tunisia 1-0 in the Third Place match. That gave the Eagles their eighth AFCON bronze. Ighalo got the goal in the third minute and that was it. With keeper Francis Uzoho and striker Victor Osimhen, making their AFCON debut, the Carthage Eagles were unable to get something out of their opponents.
Indeed, there are various beliefs in soccer. President Ibrahim Babangida did not seem to have good luck when he was in power. Just before he took over in 1985, the Golden Eaglets had won the FIFA Under-17 championships in China. And as he stepped aside in 1993, the Eaglets won again. All through his tenure, the Eaglets could not win.
In 1987, as defending champions, the Eaglets lost controversially to Russia in the grand finale. The Flying Eagles were beaten by Portugal in the grand finale of the FIFA -Under 20 championships, Saudi ’89 even after what was dubbed ‘Dammam Miracle’. And to crown it all, Nigeria was banned for two competitions for fielding over-age players.
Babangida was a good footballer in his younger days and was nicknamed ‘Block buster’. His love for the game did not translate to luck. In December 1985, Leventis United lost in the final of the Africa Winners Cup, to Ahly National of Egypt. IBB monitored the game from Dodan Barracks and was ready to fly into the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, to present the trophy to Leventis. It did not happen. The Egyptians won 2-1 aggregate.
The worst happened in 1988. Nigeria qualified in all three senior continental soccer grand finale. Green Eagles lost to Cameroon at the Maroc’88 Nations Cup. Iwuanyanwu Nationale of Owerri were pounded by Setif, Algeria in the CAF Champions’ League and Ranchers Bees, Kaduna succumbed to Tunisia’s CA Bizerte in the Africa Winners Cup. Even in the WAFU Cup, New Nigeria Bank, Benin, slumped to Asfag of Guinea.
In 1989, Bendel United could not stop El Merriekh of Sudan from leaving the Ogbe Stadium, Benin, with the Africa Winners Cup. In 1991, BCC Lions, Gboko were dethroned as Africa Winners Cup champions by Power Dynamos of Zambia.
IBB did get some consolation though. BCC grabbed the Africa Winners Cup in 1990. Shooting Stars, Ibadan also won the maiden CAF Cup, donated by Chief Moshood Abiola in 1992.
President Carlos Saul Menem was seen by his country men and women as unlucky. Argentina did not do so well in soccer during his time between 1989 and 1999. It was so bad that compatriots renamed him ‘Carlos the Menace’.
Zambia lost in three continental finals under Kenneth Kaunda. The senior national team was even known as KK [Kenneth Kaunda] Eleven. Immediately after he left office, Power Dynamos defeated BCC Lions to win the Africa Winners Cup. That was in 1991 under, Frederick Chiluba.
