AFCON 2023: ‘We’ll do the talking on the pitch’ – Kenneth Omeruo on Angola clash

Nigeria striker Kenneth Omeruo has reassured Nigerians as they prepare to face Angola for a spot in the semifinals.

The Super Eagles are billed to face Angola’s Palancas Negras at the Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny in Abidjan on Friday, February 2, in a quarterfinal clash at the ongoing 34th Africa Cup of Nations in Côte d’Ivoire.

Angola’s historic role in thwarting Nigeria’s bid for the 2006 FIFA World Cup still lingers in memory, with the Super Eagles falling short after a narrow 1-0 loss in Luanda was followed by a tense 1-1 draw at in Kano.

Moreover, the match carries emotional weight as Nigerian football enthusiasts recall the tragic passing of Eagles star Samuel Okwaraji during a 1990 World Cup qualifier against Angola.

Omeruo who was part of the 2013 Afcon winning squad believes the talking will be done on the pitch.

“We have absolutely no need to go into back-and-forth chatter with any team,” he told Tobi Adepoju on X interview.

“The Super Eagles are in Cote d’Ivoire for serious business. We have not played Angola for a long time but I remember we played them in 2012 in a friendly and it ended in a draw. I have also read of how previous encounters between the two countries have been quite close.

“There is no possibility of Friday’s match ending in a draw; a winner must emerge. So much talk has been going on. Our collective resolve is to do the talking on the pitch. The Nigeria Spirit trumps all.

“We drew our first match (against Equatorial Guinea) and many people concluded that we are not here to compete strongly for the trophy.

“They have since admitted that we may be up to something after we defeated Cote d’Ivoire, and then Cameroon. We must continue to work hard, believe in ourselves, and put in a solid shift each day and time we get onto the field.”