AFCON2021: People expect us to lose to Nigeria, says Yasin

Sudan captain Yasin Khaled Hamed says it is no secret that many neutrals expect the East Africans to lose to Nigeria when both teams face in their next group game in Garoua on Saturday.

Yasin led out the Falcons of Jediane to a 0-0 stalemate against Guinea-Bissau in their group opener on Tuesday and believes that football enthusiasts expect an even worse result against the Super Eagles.

Speaking at the pre-match Conference at the Stade Roumdé Adjia in Garoua on Friday, Yasin admits their underdog tag and says the onus is on them to prove people wrong.


“I think maybe people expect us to lose but you know football does not always happen like that,” begins the Romania born player.

“They won yesterday, tomorrow they can lose, so for us, it is important to go to the pitch and prove first of all for us and after for everybody that we have a team and we are like a family and we can do everything together, we can win together and we can go forward from here.”

Nigeria shot themselves to the top of Group D with an impressive but slim 1-0 win over Egypt in the group’s opening game but Yasin says anything can happen when they come face to face with the West African giants.

“They have a very very good team but football is played on the pitch and in the game anything can happen. We want to win, we want to take points from here also, we as a team will try to push up and help one another,” he noted.

Sudan head coach Burhan Tia also echoed Yasin’s thoughts, describing the Super Eagles as a great team but insists that his side must show what they are capable of doing against the three-time champions.

“We know the power of the Nigerian team, Nigeria is a strong side but we have a match to play against them and this does not preclude us from showing what we are capable of doing.

“It is true we made mistakes (against Guinea-Bissau) but we can also make good strides. We want to go above our capacities, we have ambitions and we are not going to relent.

“We know Nigeria is a great side, they are going to play to win, they are a great team, I repeat but each team its own capabilities,” said the former Al Hilal coach.

The match between Nigeria and Sudan holds on Saturday and will kick-off at 5pm at the Stade Roumdé Adjia, Garoua.

Fisayo Dairo, reporting from Garoua