Captain William Ekong said on Thursday that the Super Eagles will go all out for a handsome victory over visiting Falcons and True Parrots of Sao Tome and Principe at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo on Sunday as a welcome gift for Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Owan Enoh.
The new Gamesmaster-General of the Federation assumed office a couple of weeks ago, and has already been involved in matters of the three-time African champions, as he superintended a meeting with NFF bigwigs which agreed to an extension of the contract of Head Coach Jose Santos Santos.
“Yes, we have already qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire, but we want to win this match for a number of reasons. We have a new Minister of Sports Development who has hit the ground running. It is good to welcome him with a great win.
“We also need to sustain a winning mentality ahead of the FIFA World Cup qualifiers starting in November. So, we are not going to be taking this game as a dead-rubber or whatever people choose to call it. It is another important match as far as we’re concerned.”
Nigeria, on 12 points and two ahead of second-placed Guinea Bissau, have already qualified for the finals, with only the group leadership to sort out after this weekend’s final-day games. Guinea Bissau’s Djurtus host third-placed and already-eliminated Sierra Leone in Bissau, and a win will take them to 13 points.
Victory for the Super Eagles in Uyo will take them to 15 points and top of the table no matter what happens in Bissau.
In their last outing at the Nest of Champions, the Super Eagles edged Benin Republic 2-1 in a 2021 AFCON qualifier on 13th November 2019. The Cheetahs scored first before Victor Osimhen and Samuel Kalu gave Nigeria victory.
Osimhen, who lead the AFCON 2023 qualifying campaign scorers’ sheet with seven goals, is among 23 players already sweating it out in the Akwa Ibom State capital for Sunday’s encounter, and will relish the opportunity to put daylight between him and other contenders for the campaign’s Goal King crown.
The Super Eagles played all their home matches in the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification series and the 2019 AFCON qualification series in Uyo, and were successful in both campaigns.
Sao Tome and Principe’s delegation of players and officials arrived in Uyo on Thursday.
NFF congratulates Osimhen, Oshoala on nomination for Ballon d’Or
The Nigeria Football Federation has congratulated Super Eagles’ top striker Victor Osimhen and Super Falcons’ forward Asisat Oshoala on their nominations for this year’s Ballon d’Or honours.
Osimhen, who scored 26 goals in the Italian Serie A last season to steer Napoli FC to their first Italian league title in 33 years, also scored five goals in the UEFA Champions League in which Napoli made it to the semi finals.
He is also the leading scorer in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign with seven goals.
“We are indeed very proud of the nominations of our players Victor Osimhen and Asisat Oshoala for the Ballon d’Or. It is the first time that players from the same country are nominated for both male and female categories, and this makes us proud. It also underscores the stellar careers that both players have at the moment, and we pray that God will continue to take them from glory to glory.
“These nominations will also, no doubt, encourage other Nigerian players everywhere to be pivotal for their Clubs and also for the National Team anytime they are on the international road,” NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, said.
Oshoala has been pivotal for Spanish Club, Barcelona Feminine in the past two seasons, scoring a lot of goals as well as assists, and also scored a crucial goal for Nigeria against co-host nation Australia at the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Down Under.
Follow us on:
Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour has condemned the commercialisation of GMO seeds, warning of threats to Nigeria’s food…
Oleksandr Usyk has secured victory over Tyson Fury in Riyadh, successfully defending his heavyweight championship…
Albania plans a one-year TikTok ban from January after a schoolboy’s death sparks concerns over…
A suspect accused of killing five people by driving into a crowded Christmas market in…
A US Navy F/A-18 Hornet was mistakenly shot down over the Red Sea by the…
NNPC has reduced petrol ex-depot price to N899 per litre, sparking competition with Dangote Refinery…
View Comments
Some Auction Vehicles/Cars For Sale
Golf3= 500,000
Camry Tinny-Light=500,000
Toyota Exterra=850,000
Toyota Camry big daddy=650,000
Toyota Venza= 1.7million
Toyota Avalon=850,000
Toyota Rav4=950,000
Toyota Prado=2 million
TOYOTA HILUX=2million
Toyota Sienna=N850,000
TOYOTA 4-RUNNER=950,000
Toyota Corolla=650,000
Toyota Matrix= N700,000
Toyota Highlander=950,000
Toyota Picnic=500,000
Toyota Hiace Bus=950,000
Toyota Thundra=2 million
Toyota Sequola=900,000
BMW 5-series=960,000
BMW 3-series=640,000
BMW X6=670,000
Ford Edge=700,000
Ford Escape=600,000
Honda Elantra=600,000
Honda Baby-Boy=700,000
Honda Accord=550,000
Honda CRV=650,000
HONDA CIVIC=500,000
HONDA EVIL-SPIRIT=750,000
HONDA ODYSSEY=500,000
Honda Pilot=850,000
Nissan pathfinder=800,000
Nissan Amanda=750,000
Infinity=950,000
Benz C250=450,000
Benz C300=500,000
Benz ML350=2 million
Benz ML300=1.5 million
Benz ML550=3 million
Lexus C5 350=950,000
Lexus Rx300=1.2 million
Lexus Rx330=1.5 million
Lexus Rx350= 2 million
Pequot 206=350,000
Pequot 406=470,000
Pequot 607=650,000
.....
(O91 5608 9111 })