Senegal captain, Ferdinand Coly sees Nigeria's 2-1 win over the Teranga Lions last Tuesday in Port Said as a revenge of their semi-final win over them at Mali in 2002.

Coly, who was substituted in the latter part of the match, said that it was the determination of the Super Eagles that gave them the opportunity to come back to win the match.

"We were determined to win as well considering the fact that a win would put us in a comfortable position of qualification, and we almost achieved it if not for the fighting spirit of your team," he told Nigerian sports journalist, Femi Solaja.

"I think their mission was to avenge the defeat we inflicted on them at Mali 2002 semi-finals and they have achieved it now and we can have peace.

"We have a better game but I respect the fight-back sprit the Nigerian team adopted and it really worked for them," Coly said in interview.

Coly, a defender for FC Parmar of Italy, singled out Ayila and not Nwankwo Kanu nor Obafemi Martins has the best player in the Nigerian team in the match.

"It's quite unfortunate that most people goe for strikers as the man of the match but if I am to pick my best player in the Nigerian team I will go for that tall man in the heart of the midfield (Ayila). His recovery rate is very high, while joining the defence each time we are on the offensive," Coly observed.