Osayi-Samuel Says Super Eagles Of Nigeria Are Now Source Of Fear To Rivals

Nigerian defender Bright Osayi-Samuel believes the Super Eagles have reached a level where opponents approach games against them with caution, following their commanding 2-0 quarter-final win over Algeria at the Marrakech Stadium.

Osayi-Samuel, who plays his club football with Birmingham City, said Nigeria’s growing reputation is built on self-belief, discipline and strict adherence to the manager’s instructions.

“Just focusing on ourselves. That is what we have been doing in every game, focusing on ourselves. Of course, every team has their strengths, and we look at that, but the main thing is to focus on ourselves. We keep believing in ourselves and keep listening to what the manager wants us to do, and teams will fear us,” Osayi-Samuel said.

According to the defender, Algeria struggled to cope with Nigeria’s intensity and authority throughout the match.

“I felt Algeria were scared of us because of the way we were playing. That is what we want to do, dominate games and dominate teams, and today was one of those performances,” he added.

Osayi-Samuel described the clean sheet as one of the most pleasing aspects of the win, stressing that the Super Eagles executed the game plan to perfection.

“We want a clean sheet. To play well, that is what the manager wanted from us. I think we did that. We scored two great goals, and they had no shots on target. They are a team that usually scores a lot of goals, so today was great for us. Now we look forward to the next game,” he said.

When asked about complaints from the Algerian camp over the referee’s decisions, the full-back declined to be drawn into the debate. “That is not my business,” he said.

The 26-year-old’s performance was backed up by the numbers, as he emerged joint-highest-rated Nigerian player on SofaScore. He registered three tackles, two clearances, one blocked shot and seven recoveries, while winning seven of his ten ground duels.

In possession, Osayi-Samuel completed 27 of his 30 passes for a 90 per cent success rate, including 19 of 21 in the opposition half. He also delivered three crosses, one of which found a teammate. He played 89 minutes before making way for Igoh Ogbu.

There were late concerns over his condition after he was seen clutching his legs near the end of the match, raising fears he could miss the semi-final. Osayi-Samuel later played down the incident.

“No, it wasn’t an injury, just cramps. My legs were cold, and I couldn’t move my toes, but I’m fine, perfectly fine,” he explained.

Nigeria will now turn its attention to a high-stakes semi-final against hosts Morocco at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat on Wednesday, January 14.