Super Eagles players and coaches have assured of their determination to earn a spot at the 22nd FIFA World Cup finals, holding in Qatar this year.
At a virtual meeting with Youth and Sports Minister Sunday Dare and chieftains of the Nigeria Football Federation on Tuesday night, Coaches Augustine Eguavoen and Emmanuel Amuneke and the players said they are aware of the huge challenge that Ghana’s Black Stars will present in next month’s two-legged play-off, but are determined to emerge victorious.
Captain Ahmed Musa said: “The FIFA World Cup is the biggest football tournament in the world, and every player wants to feature there. A good number of the players in the team now have not been there, and the few of us that have been there want to experience it again. We just want the NFF to help us get enough fans into the Abuja Stadium for the second leg. We will go to Ghana and dig our feet and ensure we get a result. We must admit that Ghana also want to qualify and they have a strong team. The return leg will be crucial and we are ready for the battle, but we want our fans to be in there cheering us on.”
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Technical Adviser Augustine Eguavoen is also very bullish about the teams chances against Ghana: “It is always an honour to serve the country. I was impressed with the high level of discipline and commitment of the players at the AFCON in Cameroon, and I feel privileged to lead the group. We have two tough games against Ghana next month but I am not too worried because we have a squad that knows it is a mountain that we have to climb. We have a good headache to deal with – which is a surplus of good players. I want to thank the Government and the NFF for all the support during the AFCON; we will need even greater support for the World Cup play-off.”
Chief Coach Emmanuel Amuneke said he was privileged to work with the team. “I have worked with some of the players in the U17 and U20 teams, and some others I have known for many years. We have the team to earn the World Cup ticket and we will put our best foot forward for each game.”
Deputy Captain William Ekong added that the players are aware of the big task ahead and only wants the Government to ensure that the pitch of the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja is in ‘pristine condition’ for the return leg encounter against the Black Stars. “We loved the pitch of the stadium in Garoua and it helped us play some good football. We would be delighted if the Abuja Stadium is in similar condition for the second leg.”
Nigeria, who have featured in six of the past seven FIFA World Cup finals, slug it out with the Black Stars in Cape Coast on Thursday, 24th of March with the reverse fixture holding at the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja on Sunday, 27th March.
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COMMENTS
Hope you guys have learnt your lesson? If you like try the wing play bull shit against Ghana.. Una go collect heavily ehn!!…
At least we now have prolific players like Odion, Dennis and Osimhen available to alter the sole wing play that saw only Moses Simon running the flanks.
The request of the players is to ensure that the stadia is in perfect condition and not like the one witnessed in Ibadan where a newly refurbished stadium was water-loggged. may God help us and give the players strength to qualify
I hope you learnt the lesson from Afcon.; the lesson is that Super Eages lack defensive mentality and defensive combativeness and good covering; pressing on the rival on defensive midfield side; so I think Eguavoen and Amuneke will fix this hole by recaling combative and ferocious defensive midfielders like Samsun Tijani , Anderson Esiti, Okechukwu Azubuiki, Vincent Onovo than recalling weak one like Etebo, Onyeka, Abdullahi Shehu.Changing SE defensive mentality and changing the tactics like playing with 3-5-2 or 4-3-4 or and ideal tactic 4-2-3-1 with sizing the movement of tow defensive midfielders that they must not go forward to attack , but still exit at deep center to protect thier back and goalkeeper.
My only fear for the team, is the very handsome Maduka Okoye……if only his sharpness and agility is as topnotch as his looks, then, we can say with our full chests that Qatar 2022 is surely a done deal…..but at this time of asking, I really don’t know what to say about the goalkeeping department.
Don’t get me wrong, Okoye is good; good to an extent though— but, still leaky.. André Ayew will be suspended for the game; but that doesn’t mean these Black Stars would lack sufficient firepower upfront.
Well, we’ll watch and see how it all plays out. Getting a decent result away is everything at this point!