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Super Eagles’ camp, day after the victory

By Gowon Akpodonor, St. Petersburg, Russia
24 June 2018   |   2:59 am
Failure is like an orphan, while victory has many associates. A week ago, the Super Eagles’ camp at Sanatorium Istochnik Hotel in Essentuki was deserted after the team suffered a 0-2 defeat in the hands of Croatia in their opening Group D encounter. This sparked wide controversy. Many Nigerian fans, home and abroad tagged the…

Nigeria’s forward Ahmed Musa (7) and teammates celebrate their victory at the end of the Russia 2018 World Cup Group D football match between Nigeria and Iceland at the Volgograd Arena in Volgograd on June 22, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / Mark RALSTON

Failure is like an orphan, while victory has many associates.

A week ago, the Super Eagles’ camp at Sanatorium Istochnik Hotel in Essentuki was deserted after the team suffered a 0-2 defeat in the hands of Croatia in their opening Group D encounter. This sparked wide controversy.

Many Nigerian fans, home and abroad tagged the players and their officials a failure, and nobody wanted to have anything to do with them, except a few individuals, and top officials of the NFF, who believed that there could be a turnaround for good.

Now, the ambience within the Super Eagles camp is different, and has been so since they emerged victorious in the battle of Volgograd on Friday, where they beat Iceland 2-0 in their second group match.

All roads now lead to the Super Eagles camp in Sanatorium Istochnik, in Essentuki, as members of the supporters club, politicians, foreign and Nigerian journalists now see the players and their officials as friends and worthy ambassadors.

It was gathered, yesterday, that the Super Eagles’ camp commandant found it difficult to cope with the increasing number of visitors trooping into the hotel.

“People are trooping in from all directions and it has been hectic controlling them,” one of the officials told The Guardian yesterday.

According to the officials, majority of the visitors want to take photographs with Ahmed Musa, scorer of Nigeria’s two goals against Iceland, and Arsenal’s Alex Iwobi.

Meanwhile, rave of the moment, Musa, has said he was excited to give the nation victory over Iceland on Friday. Musa’s two goals has launched him into the Nigerian football history books, as Super Eagles’ top scorer in the World Cup history.

The Leicester City striker once held the record for the most goals scored in a season in the Nigerian Professional Football League before Mfon Udoh shattered the record.

Four years ago in Brazil, Musa scored two goals against Argentina in their last group match that ended 3-2 in favour of the South Americans.

‘’For me, I am very good in breaking records. I feel very happy being Nigeria’s top scorer at the World Cup, It is not that easy, but I have to thank my teammates because they gave me all the support.”

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