BY JACOB AJOM & CHIOMA ANIEGBOKA
In the aftermath of Super Eagles 2-2 draw with Ethiopia in last Sunday’s 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Addis Ababa, Nigerians have been doing a lot of permutations on a possible escape route for the Samson Siasia tutored team.

President of the Nigeria Football Supporters Club, Worldwide, Dr Rafiu Ladipo says the only key to Eagles qualification for the continental showpiece is a change of attitude by the players towards the last two qualifiers against Madagascar in Antananarivo and Guinea.

“The Super Eagles have themselves to beat because their destiny is in their own hands,” Ladipo who was in Addis Ababa said in his office Tuesday.

Ladipo recalled that Super Eagles approach to the Ethiopia match was wrong. He believes the Nigerian team underrated their hosts.

“As a matter of fact we went to Ethiopia with the belief that we were going to run over them. Unfortunately, we ended up with a draw. Our players made a big mistake by underrating the Ethiopians. It would have been worse if we lost that match because that would have put paid to Nigeria’s Nations Cup ambition,” Ladipo said.

He said that before the arrival of the Eagles in Addis Ababa, news was everywhere about the availability of Nigerian stars like Mikel Obi, Taye Taiwo among others. “It got into their heads and felt the Ethiopians would be a walk over,” recalled the number Nigerian football supporter, adding that, “on the pitch they carried that impression and played below par. That is why I will not subscribe to the notion that they were affected by the altitude.”

However, the PG, as he is fondly called believes the Nigerian team still have a chance of qualifying for the Africa Cup of Nations. “We still have a good chance if we go to Madagascar and win and wait for Guinea to come for the final match. We have a good chance,” he said.