Nigeria's Super Eagles, commenced their Africa Cup of Nations preparation on a shaky note as they struggled to beat a South African First Division club, Thanda Royal Zulu, 1-0 on Sunday at the ABSA Stadium in Durban.

Little known Thanda Royal Zulu played the Super Eagles to stand still and were on the verge of holding the star-studded Nigerian squad to an embarrassing goalless draw until the dying minute when Hoffenheim of Germany striker, Chinedu Ogbuke-Obasi, who was dropped from the final 23-man list at the expense of Wolfsburg hit man, Obafemi Martins, became the proverbial rejected stone that turned the builders cornerstone as he scored the only goal that gave the Coach Shaibu Amodu-led team the victory.

The team assistant coach, Aloy Agu, told Daily Sunsport on phone from Durban that the team will get better as they play more friendly matches before their departure to Angola on January 8, adding that the result of the friendly should not be used as a yardstick to judge the team's performance at the Nations Cup. “You know that the boys are playing together for the first time after a long time.

Besides, our opponents were out to give us a good fight just like every other team do whenever they play Nigeria. We still have more friendly matches to play and I am optimistic that the team will pick up as the matches come,” he explained.

The Super Eagles will begin their Group C campaign against defending champions, Egypt, on January 12 before confronting West African neighbour, Benin Republic and Mozambique in their final group match.

NEWS SOURCE SUNNEWS

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