This is our first step of many that we have to take before we can reach the 2025 African Cup of Nations – Ekong

Super Eagles captain William Troost Ekong says he and his colleagues will not be carried away by Saturday’s 3-0 thrashing of Benin Republic as it was just the first step of many on their road to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

With their second match of the qualifying series already around the corner on Tuesday, Ekong vowed during Saturday’s post-match press conference, attended by sports247.ng, that the Eagles will remain focused until the end.

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The in-form centre-back, who recently sealed a summer move to Saudi Arabia, began by assuring that all the Eagles players are happy with each other and their interim manager, Augustine Eguavoen.

He said: “We have great confidence in our team and our coach. It’s like the aura has returned to us now.”

“We prepared well to win this match. We respect them because the last time we played against them, they won. So, we needed to win this time.”

Ekong added that each of the Nigerian players agreed before Saturday’s match at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo, that they simply had to rise to the occasion and turn the tide of their recent poor results.

He added: “We have to take responsibility for the team. We told ourselves that with the offensive talent we have, we don’t need to suffer.”

“Everyone knows how dangerous we are and we just had to hold firm in defence. We just have to keep playing well and create opportunities to score.”

Ekong then laid out his projections ahead of Tuesday’s match in Kigali and beyond as the Eagles’ flight to Morocco 2025 gets into full swing.

“I have great confidence in all the boys,” said the former defender of Udinese in Italy and PAOK Salonika in Greece.

“I think the way we played today is a good indication of the great direction we are heading in and the first step of many we need to take to be in the Africa Cup of Nations.”

Ekong, who was voted most valuable player at this year’s Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast, will also be looking to make it another consecutive draw when he leads the Eagles against Rwanda on Tuesday.

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