Nigeria international Ejike Uzoenyi has said that it is important for the domestic Eagles to win their first game of the African Nations Championship which kicks off on Saturday.

The Enugu Rangers winger is one of the three players named in the roster that featured in the African Nations Cup also staged in South Africa about a year ago.

“We are ready for this tournament and our target is to win one game after the other until we get to the final.

“Winning our first game against Mali is very important. Any team that wants to go far in any competition should target three points in the opener but we have to take the games as they come.

“Hopefully we shall bring home the cup. The fans should pray for us just like they always do and we will win together as we always do,” says Ejike Uzoenyi to allnigeriasoccer.com.

Nigeria will clash with Mali on January 11, hours after hosts South Africa meet with the last opponent in Group A, Mozambique.