AFCON 2023 QUALIFIERS
Duro Ikhazuagbe
Super Eagles are as good as qualified for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations. They lead their group on maximum six points from two matches. Their opponents this evening at the Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abuja, Guinea Bissau, are second on four points. Both Sierra Leone and São Tomé and Principe who drew 2-2 in Agadir, Morocco yesterday are as good as dead in the running for the group ticket.
The Leone Stars are stuck on just one point with no point for São Tomé the whipping team of the group.
But Super Eagles who lost the 2022 World Cup ticket on the same Moshood Abiola Stadium ground to eternal rivals Ghana in a final playoff last year, know Nigerians still nurse the wound and the memories of the destruction of that edifice that followed that failure, remains fresh. Only a massive win this evening can begin the healing process which will be completed on Tuesday in Bissau if win the reverse fixture and qualify with maximum 12 points for AFCON 2023 with two games to spare.
With Victor Osimhen leading Super Eagles attack, most Nigerians are sure of victory this evening. It is not for nothing that the Osimhen, with 25 goals in all competitions this season for Napoli, is the biggest news on the transfer hub. The 24-year-old former U17 World Cup winner netted a significant four goals in a remarkable 10-0 win for Nigeria against Sao Tome and Principe in June last year. He had earlier scored the winner in a 2-1 win over Sierra Leone on Matchday 1 at the same Moshood Abiola National Stadium.
With five goals to his name, Osimhen is among the leading marksmen in the qualifying race, and will grab his opportunities with both hands in the two matches against Guinea Bissau in order to put daylight between himself and other contenders for the title his former teammate, Odion Ighalo annexed in the race to AFCON 2019 in Egypt.
Coach José Santos Peseiro will surely put his best foot forward in only his third match, with the objective of keeping intact his hundred per cent record in competitive matches.
Goalkeeper Francis Uzoho could start in goal, and there are Semi Ajayi, Bright Osayi-Samuel, Kevin Akpoguma, Kenneth Omeruo, Calvin Bassey, Zaidu Sanusi and Bruno Onyemaechi to pick from for the rearguard, as well as England-based quartet Wilfred Ndidi, Frank Onyeka, Alex Iwobi and Joe Aribo in the middle of the pack.
Captain Ahmed Musa, Kelechi Iheanacho, Samuel Chukwueze, Moses Simon, Ademola Lookman, Terem Moffi and Paul Onuachu are available for the fore sector, as the Eagles aim for all six points that will super-pave their pathway to the finals.
Coach Baciro Candé, who has led the Djurtus to an impressive four points in their previous two games, said on arrival in Nigeria on Wednesday that his boys will play with confidence and invention. Guinea Bissau have featured in three Africa Cup of Nations finals, making an impressive debut at the 2017 tournament in Gabon. Will the visitors ride on Nigeria to their fourth appearance at the African football showpiece? Only 180 minutes will decide that. The first 90 minutes this evening will certainly point the way forward.
RESULTS
Ma’gascar 0-3 C’Africa Rep.
Ghana 1-0 Angola
Congo 1-2 S’ Sudan
Zambia 3-1 Lesotho
TODAY
Nigeria v G’Bissau
C’Verde v Eswatini
B’Faso v Togo
Cameroon v Namibia
Egypt v Malawi
Guinea v Ethiopia
Uganda v Tanzania
Mali v Gambia
I’ Coast v Comoros
DR Congo v Mauritania
E’Guinea v Botswana
Tunisia v Libya
S’Africa v Liberia
Senegal v Moz’bique
EURO 2024
France v Netherlands
Gibraltar v Greece
Czech v Poland
Sweden v Belgium
Austria v Azerbaijan
