May 19, 2002

LAGOS, Nigeria (AFP) - Nigeria coach Adegboye Onigbinde has predicted his team will create an upset at the World Cup despite being drawn in the "Group of Death" with Argentina, England and Sweden.

"My players will rise to the occasion. It's good that we peaked at the right time and I believe the world will see the wonder of Nigeria in Japan," Onigbinde told a local radio station here Sunday.

"We're now playing as a team, not individual players exhibiting their talent as they used to say in the past.

"I'm happy to say we were able to discover some great players toward the end of our buildup. And now we do have the right spirit for the World Cup," he added.

"I believe we have a fair a chance as the other teams in our so-called 'Group of Death.'"

The 64-year-old former schoolteacher was appointed for a second time as the country's coach in February after Shaibu Amodu failed to lead the team to the final of the African Nations Cup.

The "Super Eagles" have been unbeaten under Onigbinde - they have won four matches and drawn one.

Taribo West, who has been without a club since he parted ways with Bundesliga outfit Kaiserslautern in April, said Nigeria will do well at the tournament, which begins May 31.

"We will not disappoint Nigerians. We are focused and set to make waves at the championship," said the 28-year-old defender.

Onigbinde caused a few surprises Sunday when he named his final 23-man squad for the World Cup.

He shut out former captain Sunday Oliseh and Finidi George as he tries to rebuild for the future.

Oliseh and George were left out of the country's preparation for the World Cup after they led a players' protest for air ticket refunds at the Nations Cup.

Both players featured at the last two finals, where Nigeria was eliminated in the second round. They had planned to quit international soccer after the showpiece-event in Asia.

The biggest surprise on the World Cup squad was left-footed teenager Femi Opabunmi from Swiss side Grasshopper Zurich.

Opabunmi was in the team beaten by France in the final of the FIFA Under-17 Championship in Trinidad and Tobago last September. He scored in his senior debut against Kenya about two weeks ago.

Meanwhile, Wilson Oruma was devastated after he was dropped from the World Cup party at the last minute.

"He wept like a baby on learning he will not be going to the World Cup," said one player.

The midfielder, who recently signed for French side Sochaux, was almost guaranteed his place in the squad after he skippered the Eagles to a 3-0 victory over Kenya recently.

However, he lost his place after putting every foot wrong as a second-half substitute in Thursday's friendly game against fellow World Cup finalists Republic of Ireland.

Oruma featured at the 1998 World Cup in France, scoring Nigeria's goal in the 3-1 defeat by Paraguay in a group match in Toulouse.