Super Eagles striker, Emmanuel Emenike, has warned Nigeria not to underestimate Mali in the Africa Cup of Nations semi-final, as doing so could prove costly.
The Super Eagles ousted pre-tournament favourites, Cote d’Ivoire, to reach the last four on Sunday.
Emenike, the Spartak Moscow striker, feels his teammates must still be on their guard in the match against Mali.
“We beat the team that everyone was talking about and I think we will make it to the final this year,” he said
He added: “We will be making a big mistake if we take Mali for granted.
“We need to give them the respect that they deserve because they fought hard to reach the semi-finals.
“I want to score as many goals as possible to help Nigeria win the trophy.
“Getting a top-scorer award will be a bonus because I am representing Nigeria and not myself.”
Nigeria and Mali will clash in Durban, South Africa on Wednesday.