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By: Johnny Edward.
Captain William Troost-Ekong says 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 Enoh.
Eno who assumed office a couple of weeks ago has already been involved in matters of the three-time African champions, as he superintended a meeting with Nigerian Football Federation bigwigs which agreed to an extension of the contract of coach Jose Peseiro.
“Yes, we have already qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast, but we want to win this match for a number of reasons,”Ekong said.
“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, has 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 November 13, 2019. The Cheetahs scored first before Victor Osimhen and Samuel Kalu gave Nigeria victory.