Can Nigeria win the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations?
With or without the uncertainties around the future of the 68 year-old Gernot Rohr, is Nigeria a genuine contender for the crown? Quite plausible but in reality it’s not likely.
Championship teams are an exhibition of a combination of factors including a highly disciplined squad, depth in quality and tactical consistency to mention a few.
Increasingly, the ethos of the Super Eagles points to a team out of its depth by the above stated parameters, however if the Central Africa Republic shocked Nigeria in Lagos, it then appears unfairly dismissive to bin the chances of a team that finished third at the last AFCON.
So far, Rohr has struggled against the best teams on the continent – Nigeria has not won against a higher ranked African team since 2019.
Understandably, the core is young with experience on the road from qualifiers and consistency in their forms and some standout performers, this could at least earn Rohr’s team – what ever he assembles – the underdog tag.
Without a doubt the top contender is Algeria, who have gone at least 30 games without a defeat against African oppositions and have defeated Nigeria twice since 2019.
It is Algeria’s title to lose and there’s little to suggest they won’t get as far as the final in Cameroon.
Meanwhile, there are several interesting names like Senegal, Morocco and Cameroon who also have a shout, so do Egypt and Ivory Coast in the tournament which gets underway on January 9.
Hence, to temper those expectations of the Super Eagles of Gernot Rohr winning the AFCON, hitting a purple patch and picking up Nigeria’s fourth star at the Afcon is really the most “objective and scientific” perspective.
