Eagles of Mali influential forward and Seville of Spai n striker, Frederick Kanoute, said here Wednesday he would give the Super Eagles of Nigeria a tough outing Friday night when the two teams meet in their second group B mat c h at the Essipon Stadium here.

Nigeria needs a win to still be in contention for glory in the competition and the Malian team can get a quarter-final ticket if they beat Nigeria.

Kanoute is of the view that his team will come out of the match with a bruise on Super Eagles' ego in the continental football competition.

"We have a lot of respect for the Nigerian team, just like we expect Nigeria t o have some regards for us too and we are not ready to let go this opportunity.

"Playing against Nigeria is an opportunity for me to raise my game, unlike the pressure in which I was in the first game against Benin," Kanoute disclosed aft e r the team's training session.

The silky forward hinted the 4-2 drubbing of Cameroon by the defending champio ns, Egypt, has further boosted their strength that there is a limit to which the

big countries can be respected in the game.

He noted that if the hard-working Indomitable Lions can be reduced to relics a t the Kumasi Stadium the way they were, then soccer pundits are in for more surp r ises as the tournament progressed.

"I think it was an upset for Egypt to up-stage Cameroon, but the lesson we hav e learnt from that encounter when we play Nigeria, is we go according to our mat c h-plan, with no thought about the big names in the team.

"The Nigerian team was greatly wounded in the match against Cote d'Ivoire and will need the match against us to remain in contention, but considering the fact

that we need the match as well to qualify before our last match with Cote d'Ivoi r e, the match against Nigeria will be very tough.

"I want to raise my game, even far more than what it was in the opening match. My colleagues know the importance of the match, because Nigeria had beaten us o n quite a lot of times in the tournament, including when we played host in 2002 a n d we have resolved to take our pound of flesh now," the player insisted during t h e chat with the PANA.

Super Eagles, joint bottom occupants of Group B table alongside neighbours, th e Squirrels of Benin, will play Mali moments after favourites, Cote d' Ivoire ha v e played Benin.