Boniface: Super Eagles Will Get the Job Done
Leverkusen's Victor Boniface celebrates scoring his side's third goal of the game during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Bayer Leverkusen and FC Cologne at BayArena in Leverkusen, Germany, Sunday, Oct. 8, 2023. (Marius Becker/dpa via AP)
*Nigeria v Lesotho Kickoff: 5pm *Venue: Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo
Duro Ikhazuagbe
With the pains of missing the last Mundial in Qatar still fresh in their minds, Super Eagles will kick off their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying series against Crocodiles of Lesotho this evening inside the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo.
Already, all the players in town for this first of 10 matches in the campaign, have assured Nigerians that they want to qualify for the expanded 48-country tournament to be hosted in USA, Canada and Mexico.
Bayer Leverkusen’s hitman, Victor Boniface who is painting the German Bundesliga red with goals since making his switch from Belgium’s Union Saint Gilloise last summer will be the centre of attraction this evening in the absence of Victor Osimhen who is nursing injuries.
Boniface insisted yesterday that Super Eagles will get the job done to kick off the campaign on an excellent note.
“We are ready, focused and determined to get the job done on Thursday,” began the new arrowhead of the three-time African champions.
Asked if he gets to start the match what should Nigerians expect from his. “ I will give my best, my 100 per cent to be sure that we come out victorious. It is not about my personal feats but making sure that Nigeria win the match and start the qualifiers with three points in the bag against Lesotho,”
Head Coach of the team, Jose Peseiro at the pre-match conference in Uyo urged Nigerians to return their confidence on goalkeeper Francis Uzoho despite the too many silly errors he has committed as Eagles Number one goalkeeper.
Peseiro stressed that the positives from Uzoho far outweigh the few errors he has committed that have led to many ball fans not comfortable with his as the favorite goaltender in the country.
However, Captain of Lesotho, Sekhoane Benedict Moerane has said the Crocodiles are not going to show Super Eagles respect in today’s clash Group C in Uyo.
“It’s going to be a tactical game because we are playing against a big team, Nigeria, one of the best in Africa.
“This is not our first time playing against Nigeria we are going to expect a lot from Nigeria because theSuperbEagles are going to bring the game to us to get the three points but we are not going to respect them. We are going to bring the game to them too.
“We know they are a good team with lots of players coming from outside the country but on our part we have six players from outside and majority of us play in Lesotho including myself,” the Lesotho Captain warned ahead of the clash.
