AFCON 2023: Why Jay Jay Okocha Is Backing Super Eagles to Defeat South Africa

• Jay Jay Okocha is certain Nigeria will defeat South Africa on Wednesday
• The Super Eagles will clash with Bafana Bafana in the AFCON semi-finals
• Nigeria is bidding to win the AFCON for the fourth time

Augustine Okocha, popularly known as Jay-Jay, is backing the Super Eagles of Nigeria to triumph over South Africa in the semi-finals of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.

The three-time AFCON winners will square up against Bafana Bafana, who have been impressive throughout the tournament at the 40,000-capacity Stade de la Paix, Bouake, for a chance to seal a final ticket.

According to the Daily Post, Okocha, who believes the Super Eagles could emerge as champions of the competition in Ivory Coast, advised the Nigerian team and technical crew to take it one game at a time.

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“It is open but of course as a hardcore Nigerian fan I expect our team to grab the opportunity and make it to the final and give themselves the chance to win it.

“It’s one step at a time, we have South Africa to play next. We just have to earn the right to win a football match. It doesn’t matter how now, we just have to win.”

Nigeria have been undefeated so far at the AFCON and have won their last four matches following their opening game draw against Equatorial Guinea.

Nigeria get Victor Osimhen scare

Meanwhile, Super Eagles' top striker Victor Osimhen might miss Nigeria’s crucial Africa Cup of Nations semi-final clash against South Africa with an abdominal injury, The South African reports.

The 25-year-old forward has not travelled with the rest of the Nigerian squad to Bouake, as he is still under watch from the team’s medics in Abidjan following the seriousness of the injury.

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Osimhen, who is the current African Footballer of the Year, has started each of Nigeria’s five AFCON games thus far and has one goal and two assists to his name.

Nigeria vs South Africa preview

Earlier, Sports Brief reported that South Africa will square off against three-time African champions Nigeria in a highly anticipated semi-final matchup in Bouake.

The Super Eagles head into the clash against Bafana Bafana, boasting a rich vein of form, having not lost a single match in their five games played so far at the tournament in Ivory Coast.

South Africa, on the other hand, has pulled off upset victories in the knockout round, defeating Morocco 2-0 in the Round of 16 and Cape Verde in a penalty shootout in the quarterfinals.