Port Said, Egypt (PANA) - Nigerian coach Austin Eguavoen was part of the spectators who watched the 'Warriors' of Zimbabwe train Thursday morning ahead of Friday's Group D match between the two sides at the Port Said Stadium.
The Zimbabwe-Nigeria clash will follow another Group D outing pitting the 'Black Stars' of Ghana and the 'Teranga Lions' of Senegal in what pundits have tagged 'the match of the day'.
But if pundits have concluded that the 'Super Eagles' of Nigeria will have an easy ride over the southern African nation, coach Eguavoen sees the match the from a different perspective, vowing not to take any chances in the tournament.
"Playing against underdogs sometimes could be more tasking than playing a regular foe because you are not under pressure to exhibit your skill. If we beat Zimbabwe (Friday), it's no news but if it's the other way around, it may then turn out to be the first upset in the competition and this is why we are not ready to take things for granted," Eguavoen told PANA Thursday.
The Eagles have always had the better result against the Warriors both home and away in international competitions.
But the Nigerian coach believes "it is not good to underrate any opposition and it's even more difficult if the opponent is one you've beaten most of the time because one day may just be the day of reckoning and if that is to come I don't want it now".
On what he noticed of the Zimbabweans in training, the coach declined to provide any information, saying observations were confidential to his coaching crew.
"All I will tell you is that I just want to have a feel of my opponent so that when it comes to the actual match nothing about them will be strange to us," he said.