Nigeria are the only African nation left in the draw of the five that started and intend to do better than 1994 when they were knocked out in the second round by an inspired Roberto Baggio and an Italian team riding its luck.

Although their coach Bora Milutinovic has been to the quarter-finals before as the Mexico boss in 1986, Cameroon in 1990 are still the only African side to play at those exalted heights.

Nigeria feel all Africa is willing them on to equal Cameroon's achievement and ultimately better it. "The Danes should be ready for defeat," said midfielder Finidi George. "It's the only way to show the African presence and repay our fans after losing to Paraguay."

Nigeria qualified for the second round as group winners after beating Spain and 1994 semi-finalists Bulgaria. But they were upset 1-3 byParaguay on Wednesday, although they were without many of their key players. The Nigerians must now reassure concerned compatriots that there will be no repeat of the 1994 failure when they conceded an 88th minute equaliser and lost in extra time.

Striker Daniel Amokachi, one of the best players in 1994, will miss the match due to a knee injury but captain Uche Okechukwu comes back from suspension. The Danes, with their main players wandering into the sunset of their careers, are the underdogs intent to prove their critics wrong and show that they still have teeth.

"Nigeria's weakness is that they are too lighthearted and overestimate their own chances while they underestimate us," said Brian Laudrup, one of Denmark's key players.

Denmark have never before gone beyond the second round either, thrashed 1-5 by Spain in the 1986 tournament, and they scored only three goals in their first three games here.

But they have a great weapon in Peter Schmeichel, who has shown he is one of the world's greatgoalkeepers at Manchester United, while Nigeria's Peter Rufai has been far from impressive. Both sides have much to prove and unprecedented success to gain. That alone bodes well for the Stade de France.