Tanzania vs Nigeria AFCON: Beating Nigeria Would Feel Like Winning AFCON

By: Abudu Olalekan

Fès, Morocco. Monday evening. The sun dey go down slow, like e no wan miss wetin dey happen tomorrow.

Inside one small conference room for Complexe Sportif de Fès, Miguel Gamondi sit down, shirt wet with sweat, voice steady but eyes dey shine like man wey don see tomorrow already.

“Beating Nigeria?” he pause, smile small. “My brother, that one go sweet pass say we don win the trophy sef.”

Journalists burst laugh. But the Argentine no dey joke.

Ten times Tanzania don land AFCON. Ten times dem don comot without one single win. Nine matches, zero victory, plenty tears. Tomorrow na number ten. And the opponent na Nigeria – three-time champions, the same Super Eagles wey scatter them 3-1 for Lagos 1980 when Tanzania first show face.

Gamondi know the history. Him dey feel am.

“I respect Nigeria die,” he talk, hand for chest. “But football no be respect. Football na 90 minutes. Sometimes na 95. Anything fit happen.”

Him come lean forward, voice drop small, like say him dey confess.

“If we win tomorrow, I no go sleep for one week. My players no go sleep. The whole Dar es Salaam no go sleep. That kind win go be like say we don carry cup go home.”

Somebody ask am: “Coach, you know say Nigeria get 99% chance?”

Gamondi laugh loud, the kind laugh wey come from belly.

“99%? Good! Leave that 1% for us. That 1% don win plenty matches before. Ask Greece 2004. Ask Morocco when dem beat Portugal for World Cup.”

Him talk say him don watch all Nigeria recent games. Him don mark Osimhen, Lookman, Ndidi – every one of them.

“But I also watch my boys,” he say. “I see wetin dem fit do. I see hunger for their eyes. That kind hunger wey never chop AFCON win before.”

Him tell one story nobody know.

Last week for camp, one young defender, Novatus Miroshi, wake up 3 a.m., carry phone, dey watch that 1980 match – the one Nigeria beat Tanzania 3-1.

Him watch am finish, come knock coach door.

“Coach,” the boy talk, voice dey shake small. “I no wan be part of that history again. Make we write new one tomorrow.”

Gamondi say that night, him no fit sleep again. Him just sit down for balcony, dey look moon, dey pray small.

“Tomorrow no be just match,” he talk now, voice thick. “Na redemption. Na revenge. Na the day wey Tanzania go finally breathe for this AFCON.”

After Nigeria, dem get Uganda on Friday, then Tunisia next Tuesday. But everybody know say tomorrow na the real final for Taifa Stars.

Because if dem fit comot with even one point against these Super Eagles – the same Eagles wey dey fear everybody right now – then belief go enter their body like new blood.

Gamondi stand up, press conference don finish.

Before him comot, one Nigerian journalist ask am: “Coach, you no dey fear say Osimhen go tear una net?”

Gamondi turn, smile again – this time the smile get small wicked inside.

“Osimhen na beast,” he talk. “But even beast dey fear fire. Tomorrow, my boys go bring fire.”

Him comot. The room quiet small.

Outside, some Tanzanian fans dey sing already. Voice dey shake the whole complex.

“Taifa Stars! Taifa Stars! Leo tunawasha!”

Tomorrow na Tuesday.

And for the first time in 45 years, Tanzania no just wan play Nigeria.

Dem wan shock Africa.

Dem wan make beating the Super Eagles feel like the sweetest AFCON trophy wey nobody fit collect from their hand.

1% chance?

Make una come watch wetin that 1% fit do.