Premiership stars Nwankwo Kanu and Frederic Kanoute aim to fire Nigeria and Mali into an African Nations Cup final showdown by breaking the hearts of Tunisia and Morocco in the semi-finals on Wednesday.
Nigeria, who knocked out defending champions Cameroon 2-1 in the last eight, take on the hosts in front of 60 000 passionate Tunisian fans at the Rades Stadium aiming to take another step towards what they hope will be a third title.
They won in 1980 and followed that with a second African crown achieved here in 1994.
Arsenal star Kanu believes that after a decade of drought, Nigeria’s new generation of youngsters is ready to seize a golden opportunity.
”Young players have come into the team but they have needed time to pull Nigeria back up and we needed time to get to know them. I think we have been successful in this period of transition,” said the 27-year-old Kanu.
Nigeria endured a torrid start to this competition to reach the semi-finals.
They lost their opening match 1-0 to Morocco and then kicked out Celestine Babayaro, Victor Agali and Yakuba Aiyegbeni for breaking a curfew but Kanu believes those setbacks have only served to bring the squad closer.
”We never envisaged such a defeat against Morocco,” admitted Kanu. ”We didn’t react well that day. But things have got better since and Nigeria have improved.”
Nigeria will be relying on inspiration from skipper Jay Jay Okocha who has a mini-fan club inside the Tunisian team in the shape of Slim Benachour.
The Tunisian plays for Paris Saint Germain and he watched with awe Okocha’s contribution when the Nigerian was also on the French club’s books from 1998-2002.
”It will be very special playing against Okocha. I rubbed shoulders with him when I was about 17 or 18 at PSG but just in training,” said Benachour whose side has never won an African title but reached the last four with a controversial 1-0 win against Senegal.
”He is a genius. He can do incredible things with a ball.”
In Sousse, meanwhile, Tottenham striker Kanoute will be looking to add to his four-goal tally against Morocco and take Mali into the final for what would be only the second time following their runners-up finish in 1972.
”We beat them in a friendly in Morocco last year so they will be out for revenge,” said Kanoute who reached the four-goal mark in the 2-1 quarter-final win against Guinea.
”We just have to stick to our game plan. There will be a lot of pressure but we are a very close group and we are ready.”
Ironically, Nigeria, Mali and Morocco all had to come from a goal down to make the last four but Morocco, champions in 1976, did it in the most dramatic fashion.
The Atlas Lions were just seconds from elimination on Sunday when Abdelmalek Cherrad put Algeria in front in the 84th minute before Marouane Chamakh equalised four minutes into stoppage time.
Youssef Hadji and Jawad Zairi then completed the rescue operation in extra-time.
”We deserved the win and we deserved a place in the semi-finals,” said coach Badou Zaki.
However his resources for Wednesday’s semi-final could be stretched with defender Talal El Karkouri a major doubt having picked up a calf injury in the quarter-final win.
Wednesday’s matches
Semi-finals
At Rades
Tunisia v Nigeria (1500 GMT)
At Sousse
Mali v Morocco (1800 GMT) – Sapa-AFP