Musa stated that this in an interview with the Super Eagles Media Officer after the team’s training session on Saturday at the VSTS-Annex OF Roumde Adjia Stadium, Garoua.
Egypt swept the stakes at the first two editions of Africa’s flagship football competition, in 1957 and 1959, and then won on home soil in 1986 and in Burkina Faso 12 years later, before a hat-trick of consecutive titles in 2006, 2008, and 2010.
Nigeria first soared to glory on home soil in 1980, won in Tunisia in 1994, and overturned bookmakers’ predictions to triumph in South Africa nine years ago.
Both teams are not unfamiliar to themselves at the AFCON, with the Pharaohs hammering the Eagles 6-3 in Nigeria’s first-ever match at the competition (in Ghana in 1963).
In 1980, the Eagles sailed past the Pharaohs 1-0 in a group phase clash in Ibadan, and four years later, following a pulsating 2-2 draw in a semi final match in Bouake (Cote d’Ivoire), Nigeria won on penalties to reach the final against Cameroon’s Indomitable Lions.
In 1990, a lone goal by Rashidi Yekini consigned the Pharaohs to defeat in a group phase match in Algiers, and in 1994, both teams battled to a scoreless draw at the Stade Chadli Zouiten in Tunis.
However, in 2010 Egypt came from behind to tame the Eagles 3-1 in the city of Benguela (Angola) in 2010.
For some reasons, bookmakers believe the Super Eagles have have greater chances of winning todays match and have pegged the odds around Nigeria – 2.75, Egypt – 3.0
