NIGERIA coach Stephen Keshi said victory over France tomorrow for a place in the last eight of the 2014 World Cup is “non-negotiable”.
“I said before the tournament that our mentality must be strong. Our approach to every match has always been the same: to win,” Keshi restated.
“Whether we are playing against Spain at the FIFA Confederations Cup or playing against Liberia in a friendly match, I always tell the boys that victory is non–negotiable.
“For us, we will go into Monday’s match aiming to win. But as I also said before the competition, we take it one match at a time.
“We don’t even want to think of who might be lurking in the quarter finals if we win; we are not bothered. All we know is that we must win on Monday.”
African champions Nigeria are the apparent underdogs in Monday’s round of 16 battle in Brasilia.
Reward for the winner in Monday’s clash that starts at 5pm Nigeria time (1pm Rio de Janeiro) is a visit to the elegant Estadio Maracana (venue for the Final on 12th July, and which also hosted the final when Brazil lost 2-1 to Uruguay in 1950).
The winners will play the victors of the tie between three –time champions Germany and African flag –bearers Algeria, who have reached the round of 16 for the first time ever.
Six of Nigeria’s leading names play in the English Premiership alongside nine of France’s best, making this a potentially–explosive session in all ramifications.
Nigeria captain Joseph Yobo, who will reach the historic 100th –cap mark if featured against the French, features for Norwich City, with Osaze Odemwingie (Stoke City), Mikel Obi and Kenneth Omeruo (Chelsea), Victor Moses (Liverpool) and Shola Ameobi (Newcastle) also involved.
They are quite familiar with Patrice Evra (Manchester United), Hugo Lloris (Tottenham Hotspur), Mathieu Debuchy, Loic Remy, Moussa Sissoko (Newcastle), Laurent Koscielny, Bacary Sagna, Olivier Giroud (Arsenal) and Mamadou Sakho (Liverpool).
Debuchy, Remy and Sissoko are Ameobi’s team –mates at Newcastle, while Moses and Liverpool mate Mamadou Sakho will embrace before hostilities commence.
Nigeria goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama, rated one of the best at the tournament so far, comes up against Lille OSC of France team –mate Rio Mavuba.