Ezenwa reveals Eagles’ CHAN title ambition

Enyimba goalkeeper Ikechukwu Ezenwa has declared that the Super Eagles have set themselves the target of winning next year’s African Nations Championship (CHAN) in Morocco.
Ezenwa who is captain of the Super Eagles made up of players from the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) explained that they have been working to improve on their last international outing at the WAFU Cup of Nations in Ghana where they lost in the final game to the hosts in September.

However the Nigeria stopper knows that starting their first game against Rwanda in Tangier on 15 January on a winning note remains key to their ambition.
“Last time we played in the final of the WAFU Cup of Nations but unfortunately we lost. Now we are building on improving on that attitude that helped us reach the final when the CHAN begins in Morocco next month.
We have agreed among ourselves to make sure that we reach the final and also bring the trophy home this time. But everything starts with the first game as we want to take the tournament one game after another.
“It is always very important to win your first game in any competition. Rwanda is a good side. We watched them play in the 2016 edition (of the CHAN) and they did quite well.
So playing Rwanda won’t be as easy as it looks. We just have to be focused and know why we are there, and make our country proud in 2018,” said Ezenwa to npfl.ng.
“Yes we can (win the CHAN). At present there is solidarity in the team, we have agreed to stand with each other.
Right now that is our goal. Immediately we arrived camp (for the NPFL Invitational Tournament) we had a meeting, just like before we left for the WAFU Cup, we agreed that it is ‘operation must reach the final.’ So among ourselves we have set that target of going out there to make our nation proud.”
Ezenwa remains a key member of the CHAN-bound Eagles as well as the A-team that qualified Nigeria for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.