Super Eagles boss, Stephen Keshi keeps a close eye on his team as they train on Wednesday evening in Abuja
Even before the foreign-based professionals arrive for the cracker against Liberia, it’s looking increasingly dicey whom among the 22 home-based players will be dropped from the trip to Calabar, as competition for places is reaching fever pitch.
On Friday morning at the Training Pitch of the Abuja National Stadium, the coaching crew will have a slight idea of the match form of the players when the team takes on Water FC of Abuja, in a test game.
That should help the coaches know the worth of each player before the final list of home-based players is drawn.
If Friday's game fails to achieve its aim, the game against FC Abuja on Saturday morning should, as the Abuja side has been riding high in the National League Division 1 and is expected to give the local based stars a run for their money.
The game is billed for the same venue and at the same time, which is 8am local time.
Head Coach Stephen Keshi declared in one of the training sessions that if it were possible he would have taken all the players to Calabar, but some must be dropped and only the best will make the cut for the clash against the Lone Star.
Meanwhile, towering defender, Azubuike Egwueke, who has remained his calm self at training sessions has said the Nigerian side will be too good for Liberia come October 13.
“We have watched the match tape over and again and we feel we should have won the first leg and we know where our mistakes come from and they will not be repeated."
He agreed that the Liberians are quick and very hard but declared that Nigeria will win the game with at least three goals on October 13.
“I’m not underrating them, but I know the quality of players that are in the Super Eagles squad and the Liberians know that they were lucky in the first leg, that will not be the case in the game in Calabar, because everything including the fans will be working for us and we won’t allow Liberia to deny us our ticket on that day," he declared.