Amuneke Raises the Alarm over ‘Slippery’ Cape Verde

WORLD CUP 2022 QUALIFIERS

*Says: “Super Eagles mental alertness must be very high to check the compact style of play of Cape Verde’s Blue Sharks”

Femi Solaja

With Nigeria firmly in the driver’s seat of Group C of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, former Super Eagles forward, Emmanuel Amuneke, has warned Coach Gernot Rohr and his wards to be extra vigilant when they play Cape Verde on Tuesday night in Praia.

Super Eagles who left Lagos at 2.00am this morning by chartered flight for Cape Verde, sit at the top of the log on three points following the 2-0 defeat of Liberia on Friday in Lagos.

Cape Verde and Central African Republic who played 1-1 two days earlier have just one point each so far.

But on Tuesday night at the 5,000 capacity Estadio Municipal Aderito Sena on the Island of Mindelo, the Blue Sharks will be aiming to win to stand a chance of upstaging three-time African champions Nigeria.

But Amuneke who is a former Golden Eaglets of Nigeria and Taifa Stars of Tanzanian national team coach, is looking beyond the array of stars on Eagles’ list but the compact nature of play by the Southern African nation.

“Cape Verde are the emerging force in continental football today. Nigeria must be wary of their ability both home and away going by their performance in the last four years.

“Nigeria no doubt have the potential to keep them in check especially away from home but the mental alertness of the players must be very high to check the compact style of play of the Blue Sharks,”stressed the former African Footballer of the year.

Interestingly, as coach of Tanzania to the last AFCON 2019 tournament in Egypt, Amuneke’s team played against Cape Verde in the qualifying series.

His team lost 0-3 in the first leg on October 12th 2018 but won the return leg 2-0 in Dar-es-Salaam four days later.

“The mental speed of the team was very high and that has been their way going by the status the country has attained today. They are swift in their approach and look tireless as they play with almost the same strength and speed from the start to finish.

“Nigeria no doubt has experienced players but the team must be focused all through the night until valuable points are in the kitty,” warns the former Nigerian ex international.

Tomorrow’s game against Cape Verde is to be played on a synthetic pitch and would be behind closed doors because of Covid-19 rules.

Since Saturday evening, Coach Gernot Rohr has moved his team to National Stadium in Lagos where the players had their work out at the Legacy pitch located within the complex.