Football fans on Saturday defied the heavy rain at the UJ Esuene Stadium to sing and dance after the Super Eagles defeated Walya Antelopes of Ethiopia 2-0 to qualify for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
The fans trooped into the pitch immediately after the referee’s final whistle, despite repeated warnings by the Master of Ceremony and besieged the players with excitement.
Policemen at the stadium tried to curtail the surging crowd but they overpowered, as jubilant fans made their way to the State Box.
They repeatedly chanted the names of Kanu Nwankwo and Gov. Liyel Imoke of Cross River, apparently in appreciation of their contributions to the team’s success.
The celebration was occasionally spiced with fireworks which electrified the entire arena.
One of the fans, Asuquo Edet, said he could not hide his joy following Nigeria’s qualification for the World Cup.
Edet, however, stressed the need for structured preparations to make the team stronger to enable the players to face the challenges ahead.
“This is a sweet victory and I am happy to be associated with it. I urge the football authorities to prepare the team very well before the World Cup proper,’’ he said.
Another fan, Ndubuisi Kanu, who said that he came to Calabar from Aba to watch the team, stressed that he was not disappointed with the outcome of the match.
“I was not disappointed at all; the boys have made me and all Nigerians proud and I wish them well,’’ he said.
One of the sponsors of the Super Eagles, Guinness Nigeria Plc., offered free drinks to the fans outside the stadium.
Nigeria’s midfielder Ogenyi Onazi, who was voted the Most Valuable Player of the match, won the prize of 5,000 dollars, while “Tom Tom’’ gave out 2,000 dollars for each of the two goals scored by the Nigerian team.
